The Artichoke Vol. 8. No. 1

Are you ready to take on, Winters?

SEPTEMBER 2018 | VOL. 8 NO. 1

WELCOME CLASS OF 2022!

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CONTRIBUTORS

Editor-In-Chief

Lamia Abozaid

Assistant Editor

Katherine Collier

Writers

Brooke Dalton Menna Elnaka Kabeer Garba Rachael Henfrey Karley Jagusic Vanessa Sandoval Maya Vukov Anna Wilson

Design Editor

Sarah Wong

Designers

Bri Coggans Kristina Pura-Cruz Zhen Li Samneet Mann Sarah Manyoki Mars Quave Mirabelle Wang Livia Widjaja Michelle Young

For past issues: issuu.com/artichokemag For Submissions: wintersfreepress@winterscouncil.com Contact Us: Facebook.com/ArtichokeMag

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IN THIS ISSUE

WELCOME

CREATIVE

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Letters from the Editors

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Letter from the Head of Winters College

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Letter from the President of Winters College

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Endings Anna Wilson

ENTERTAINMENT

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FEATURE

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Take on Winters — Orientation Chairs Interview Lamia Abozaid

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Frosh Schedule

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Meet your Head Leaders

Modern Society is Witnessing the Decline of the Most Precious Thing in the World: Community Maya Vukov

LIFESTYLE

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Do Not Fear the TTC Brooke Dalton

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Sleepless in Res Kabeer Garba

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NEW THINGS Karley Jagusic

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First Trial is Challenging, End Goal is Worth it Menna Elnaka

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A First Year of Firsts Rachel Henfrey

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Dorm Romance: A Story about the Worst Way to Ask Someone Out Vanessa Sandoval

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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR WELCOME CLASS OF 2022! Another year, another frosh issue! I am excited to once again be apart of this amazing community. Winters has been the place I feel the best at ever since my first year.

Putting together this frosh issue personally taught me so much, mostly that persistence is key.

Working along Katie Collier - The assistant editor and Sarah Wong - The design editor has been a blessing. We have worked very hard to make sure that we guide you through the week. I am so excited to continue working with them through the year.

University is scary, not going to lie. Ask questions and be curious! Do not be shy and have an open and accepting mind. No question is a stupid question, ask as much as you want, get involved, join council, come to council events, come to pub nights, and most importantly- put your mental health first and take care of yourself.

If you would like have your work featured in the Artichoke and/or write for us, do not think twice before shooting me an email at: wintersfreepress@ winterscouncil.com. Have a great year and welcome back to those returning!

- LAMIA ABOZAID

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A NOTE FROM THE DESIGN EDITOR

A NOTE FROM THE ASSISTANT EDITOR

I AM EXCITED to be continuing my role as the Design Editor for another school year.

While we shift our focus from print to being solely a digital publication, we have refreshed the visual style while still staying true to our roots. I am looking toward to be working with new and familiar faces as we continue to capture the energy that is Winters. I hope you all have a great year!

I AM PROUD that in my fourth year of writing for the Artichoke I have the privilege to be Assistant Editor. I am ecstatic to be able to work with this amazing group of people. I look forward to bringing my experiences to the administrative team of the Artichoke, not only as a writer but also as a Winters student. I cannot wait to showcase the amazing talent that is contained in our college, through spotlight articles and images. This is our magazine; it embodies everything that Winters is, and more.

I cannot wait to get started.

- SARAH WONG

- KATHERINE COLLIER

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Welcome to Winters College!

WELCOME TO ALL of you freshly froshed first-year students, and welcome back to everyone who is returning. May this year be full of possibilities, potential, and unexpected joys. An especially warm and appreciative welcome to those who may have considered not coming back, perhaps after a challenging haul last year. May you thrive this year, and relish your decision to stick with it and follow through on the original plan. One thing we can learn from the classic tragedies is that there is always a new dawn, a new beginning, even after the most trying of times.

If you are new to Winters, you might still be wondering what, exactly, is Winters College? Is it a place? Is it a group of students, mostly from Arts Media, Performance and Design, and Education Studies? Is it a useful network? Is it a group of diverse, enthusiastic, welcoming folks?

Is it a home away from home? Is it the centre of non-academic life? Is it a way to get involved in inclusive intramural sports and clubs? The answer to all these is yes! Winters is also a mind-set, and a source of stories that we tell about ourselves. Ask anyone for a Winters story, and you will get one. Your new Winters stories are starting now.

So, I welcome all of you to this, your new beginning. I know that when I was little, September was the saddest time of the year for me. It always felt like the end. The end of summer. The end of lazy, carefree days. The end of shorts and bare feet. I remember crying to my grandmother that it was too sad that everything was going to die over the winter, and it would be sooo long until summer came again. But as I got older, September started to mark the real beginning of things. Every fall brought a new grade, a new

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class, and new friends; sometimes a new school and a new routine.

Since I ended up working in education, most of my life has adjusted to this September-toAugust cycle, which has its roots in the farmer’s year, from harvest to planting to harvest again.

As you start this new year, I encourage you to spare a little thought for these larger rhythms of life and the seasons, and our place in those rhythms, whatever that might mean to you. You might find yourself re-reading John Keats’s poem To Autumn, which begins with the evocative words, “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”. Maybe you will reflect on the cycles of your own life, up till now, from preschool days through elementary school and high school, and now university; savouring that delicious, but perhaps scary, thought that the subsequent turn of the wheel might bring

you something completely unexpected.

By all means live in the moment too. Enjoy your time here at York, with us here at Winters College. Enjoy your classmates, housemates, roommates, and friends. Enjoy your professors.

Enjoy those who seem just like you. Enjoy those who are very different from you. Enjoy your challenges, and your successes.

Enjoy those who disagree with you. These college years will pass so very quickly; about four times faster than high school.

There will certainly be times of difficulty, and there may be times of sadness, self-doubt, or even darkness. If you, at any time, think that there’s something you might need help with, there is a network of professionals here at York ready to help. If you or anyone you know is in any kind of crisis, or if you want

to find out what resources are available to you, please come in to the Winters College Office, Room 121, and we can direct you appropriately. This could be a difficulty of any kind, whether it is affecting you physically, mentally, spiritually, socially, financially, or some other way.

Even if you are not in any trouble, come by the office to say hello, and make yourself known.

I look forward to meeting you all over the course of the next year (or more). Introduce yourself to me, either in my office, in the halls, at a social event, at the Absinthe Pub, or at an athletic event. I will be glad to get to know you.

JOHN MAYBERRY HEAD OF WINTERS COLLEGE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPT. OF THEATRE

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Hello Winters!

WINTERS

WHETHER YOU ARE in your first year or a returning student, I want to say WELCOME! 2018-2019 will be the year to remember. Coming out of our 50th year anniversary, we are looking forward to kicking off the next 50 years with poise and style!

involved right away; they join council and play every sport we offer which is amazing! Then there are others that focus on their academics and get a job at the Absinthe Pub and Coffee Shop which is also amazing! No matter what path you choose, you are always welcome at Winters.

“Life is all about choices�, I am sure you have heard that many times; that is only because it is true! Winters is based in consent culture. That does not always mean sexual interactions either. We believe that your university journey is a choice. You want to go to a pub night and not drink? That is completely okay!

You want to go see a movie with friends instead of going to a party? That is your choice! You want to watch TV shows with council members in the lounge? That is amazing! We love to offer opportunities to our constituents that is accessible to all.

Whether you are into sports, academics, clubs, councils, etc., you name it and we have it! Inclusivity is our middle name and we are proud of it.

We are such a diverse community full of different personalities, cultures, and beliefs. At the end of the day, all that matters to us is your pronouns, your safety, and your mental wellness! We are all about respect and understanding the role intersectionality plays in our community. So come by the council office, 002 Winters College, and say hello!

It is time to make Winters what you want it to be. There are some people that get

Stay woke, stay beautiful, and stay artsy.

Welcome to your home away from home MUCH LOVE, MADFISH FISHER XOXO

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BY LAMIA ABOZAID

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FEATURE

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AN INTERVIEW WITH THIS YEARS’ OCHAIRS Tell us more about the theme – Take on winters? What is that all about?

The theme revolves around life sized board games. Basically like “Take Us On”- In board game sense, of course. We are taking on Winters and York with the frosh. We will be helping them to explore this new life path together.

S: The board game theme revolves around going through this journey and in the end it is like: Congratulations, you have won and made it to University. For the frosh to be able to apply what the frosh have learned during frosh about York.

Whose idea was it?

Funny enough, both of us! That was our backup theme. That is why we get along pretty well.

You plan to focus on inclusivity this year, how do you plan to do that?

S: For starters, having events that cater for every person coming in. We have made

sure that every event that we setup serves everyone’s personality. We have a lot of networking opportunities for people – such as sports events, paint nights and other artistic events.

K: One of the biggest things too about this frosh week is that we want it to be the frosh’s choice. Everything the frosh do this week is their choice and they get to make the most of it, they get to choose the kind of experience they want to have and what they want to get out of it.

How did you plan to shape this year’s frosh week events in relation to the theme?

S: We have life size board games. LIFE SIZE. I will stop there.

K: We have DIY events, lip sync battles, sports as mentioned earlier, and quad parties. You can attend a quad party and just chill, you do not have to actually dance- this frosh week is yours! You can talk to people, listen to the music, or even

“WE ARE A COMMUNITY AND WE WANT THEM TO STAY APART OF THIS FAMILY AND MAKE WINTERS REALLY THEIR HOME.” just be an audience. Sonya and I spoke about how we both sometimes sat on the bench during quad parties to relax and network. It is YOUR choice.

How will this year’s frosh week be different and what’s the most unique thing about events?

S: We are building upon a lot of things that were started last year. For example, like the Winter Nuit Blanche – keeping that but improving upon it and adding more things to it to the froshies that are coming in. Winters Nuit Blanche, all of Winters College will be transformed to an arts night that show cases different events and art. For instance, EWAG - spoken word night, JCR – open mic and live

music, and dining hall- paint night taking place. We also wanted to let the frosh know that yes Frosh is just one week, but we are a community and we want them to stay apart of this family and make Winters really their home.

K: We have basically reached out to a lot of Winters affiliated clubs to come out and have their setup and this is also for the Frosh to know what sort of opportunities they have throughout the year. Sonya, MadFish, and I always ask the same question before we plan anything, which is: What can we do to make the frosh have the best time out of it. More in the sense of community, resources, understanding the things Winters College Council has to offer, and the things the Head Office has to offer. We want the Frosh to know that the fun does not end after Frosh week, they can have it all throughout the year.

Which events are you most excited for?

S: Man they are so many; why do I only have to choose one?! I am really excited for life size board games! Because if you have ever watched Harry Potter in that scene where they play life size chess – obviously not that dangerous but it

FEATURE

will make you feel that you are personally part of the game- you are the piece of the game instead of casually playing the ‘normal’ size board games. Also the Tait event, since people think that Tait is just a gym. No there are so many different things that Tait has to offer such as the recreation classes that people could take, free swim times, and yoga sessions. It is where the frosh can see that there is a larger community that they are able to join if they want to.

Some of our content surrounds shyness surrounding frosh week. How would you respond to an incoming freshman who is scared to be a part of frosh?

S: We will ensure that froshies know that they can do whatever they want to do. It is their frosh week – it is their time and they get to pick whatever they want to do with it. We thankfully have a place for everyone.

K: We have a lovely team of trained individuals that will help out every constituent.

It is completely for anyone to feel shy or overwhelmed. This community accepts everyone and we have a lot of options for that reason. I really encourage one on one bounds since if a person is really shy they are only speaking to one person that will later lead to speaking to more people. During my frosh week, I did not want to go to some quad parties because I was not comfortable with doing that so I chose to join other events for the day and sometimes I chose to stay in residence with some

friends to watch a movie. It is your decision! It is also okay to take time to getting used to people. We have our heads of vanguard to help you out and support if you need someone to since this is an extremely different kind of transition.

What tips would you give to an incoming frosh to help then meet new people?

S: I always tell people that frosh week is so great because it makes it so easy for you to get to meet the people who are going to be with you in the class and you even get to make connections for future opportunities. Frosh week starts before your first day of classes so you are able to meet your classmates and friends beforehand which elevates so much stress.

K: I met my best friend at frosh while I was in line for barbeque and then we literally started talking about food then we realized that we are in the same program and we just went off from there. Oh, it is MadFish by the way. I was so scared to turn around and talk to her since all I was thinking is how wrong it can go but then I just did it and look where we are now. It can be difficult to think about it but trust me, it is so easy. Just start a conversation.

Our university is known to have a lot of commuters, what sort of accommodations are you providing for commuting froshies during frosh?

K: We have a lot of accommodations this year.

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We have a commuter room where you can spend the night for the whole week and they are themed sleepovers too. We are providing showers, pillows, mattresses, and blankets, but we however, recommend that they bring their own for comfortability level.

S: basically like a huge sleepover for the whole week with everyone you just met. If a froshie is using the commuter spaces, then they have access to laundry. This year we have a specific commuter room for commuter froshies to go and relax in they can sit down, take a quick nap, or do whatever they want throughout the day.

How do you think frosh week helps smoothen the transition into university and a new environment?

S: So many ways. We have department heads where students can ask so many different questions about their program that they have answers for before classes start.

K: it is a social orientation but we also focus a lot of academics, so we are going to be taking you on tours of your departments and everything around York showing you where you are going to be spending your time, the resources the university has to offer, where is the library, the bookstore, where to print and how to use their YU card, etc.

Just for some insight- how were you as a froshy?

S: I was a go with the flow frosh, where I did everything even if

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I did not care for it. I was also a commuter frosh. I joined the commuter sleep over for the whole week which was super helpful because I commuted from Ajax and I was not trying to take the go bus home every day. I went to like the majority of the event and that was how I made friends. On the first day of frosh week I was with my mom signing up for the commuter sleep over and I had my lacrosse sticks because it was the lacrosse tryouts that day and the VP of athletics at the time Jill Mogado came up to me saying YOU PLAY SPORTS?! And this is when I started being involved with Winters since she made me sign up for everything. If it was not for frosh I would have not done council and I would not have been sitting down here right now being the interviewee.

K: I was also the go with the flow frosh, I went to every single event. I was always really involved in high school

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and I really wanted to be really involved in university, so I joined as many clubs as I can and I wanted to give back to this great community. I became a leader because I wanted to make a difference in this community after I saw and witnessed that every voice is heard.

State one funny thing about your co-chair?

S: You will never see Kat without an ice coffee in her hand. But here is the thing, it takes her like ten hours to drink this one ice coffee. It literally takes her so long. Another thing would be that she cannot pronounce certain words like, components.

She’ll say compullment. She cannot say milk, she pronounces it melk. If she wants to say milk properly, she has to take a deep breath and then say it like she is getting ready for something.

K: Sonya has to clear her throat and sit straight before she has to say anything serious and she puts

on her sunglasses while we are sitting in a freaking restaurant.

What has been the best part about being an OChair so far?

S: Meeting the frosh before they actually get here. Like on the Facebook group and the tours because of my job with AMPD. Seeing how excited everybody is about coming here and getting to connect with them before they even get to frosh.

K: Connecting with the froshies on the Facebook group for sure but also knowing that in a couple of weeks the froshies are going to be here and will get to experience all this that we have been planning for months. I am so excited to meet them and have them at Winters.

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Meet your Head Leaders

Kat OChair

Sonya Assistant OChair

Holly & Seamus Heads of Safety

Rivindu & Ben Heads of Media

Noah & Sébastien Heads of Logistics

Andre & Mitch Heads of Entertainment

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Madfish President

Simon & Hailee Heads of Vanguard

Julian & Ellen Heads of Health

Liv & Nicole Heads of Tech

Amy, Austin & Kleanthi Heads of Commuters

2018-2019

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BY ANNA WILSON

CREATIVE

ENDINGS BIRTHE NEW beginnings and beginnings end eras.

I have lived decades worshipping the melancholy that controlled every aspect of my life, until happiness decided to steal the throne and start a new era. Here I am, torn between my longing for everything I ever knew, and my yearning to know what euphoria tastes like.

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Modern Society is Witnessing the Decline of the Most Precious Thing in the World: Community.

Here’s How You Can Find Community at York

ENTERTAINMENT

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BY MAYA VUKOV

IN MALCOM GLADWELL’S book “Outliers”, he describes a unique small town in Pennsylvania called Roseto. It was a town of Italian immigrants, who had very strong social structures in their town, and spent their days saying hello to people on the street and visiting one another; doing life together as a community. Everyone was very involved in the town life, and they had a very rich social culture.

Sociologists and medical doctors did studies and found that the people in the town of Roseto lived longer than the average North American, and they did not die of medical complications nearly as much as normal people. There was no alcoholism, suicide or welfare in the town. The only thing people died of was old age.

The conclusion from the study came to be that the townspeople were healthier and lived longer because of the strength of their community.

Nowadays we live an entirely different story. Modern life is only connected on the surface in a very cold, technological kind of way. The saying is “more connected than ever, but at the same time more disconnected than ever.” Everyone knows that saying but no one actually cares about it enough to do anything about it. Some people may

even now find it slightly cliché and pretentious, and even if we do care, technology addiction renders us unable to care very much.

So you may be just out of high school. One of the last few places in society where people are forced to be together. The last time anyone will get paid by the government to care about you.

No one is forcing you to be part of a community anymore. This change in your life is also symbolic of a wider sociological pattern.

People invest in community less now. The statistics for membership of service clubs and civic organizations is plummeting. Being part of something like a club or an organization is increasingly taking up the identity of “individual quirk” as opposed to societal way of life. It may seem at school like only the super driven or the super quirky or the super weird get involved, but it never used to be this way. In the past it used to be normal for people to go out and do things with each other.

People were involved with each other, with their community and with their society. Now they form communities online and think it is the same thing. Now our visions of community live in the comments of someone’s

Instagram photo, believing that we are connecting but never feeling truly fulfilled or loved. But perhaps that sounds cliché. Want to hear something that is not cliché? Rates of mental health issues like anxiety and depression have skyrocketed since 2012, around the same time when smartphone ownership increased by around 50%. Young people are statistically the loneliest generation. We are lonelier than even senior citizens. That is not a joke, there is data to back it up.

Grandmothers have a better social life than you. What’s the deal with that? We are young. Are we not supposed to be sucking the marrow out of life right now, or something like that? The truth is, the so called “Global Village” people label modern life as is nothing but a fallacy. It is a euphemism. A village by definition is the exact antithesis of everything that characterizes globalization and modern society. Tell me, how exactly can you call it a village, when all we can do is communicate, but not connect?

If all of this has sounded preachy and made you feel depressed, know that it was only done in service of my attempts to convey how important community should be to us all. It literally

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“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

ENTERTAINMENT

makes you live longer, and be less prone to diseases, both mental and physical. The truth is that community has always been the most precious part of our lives, and it is more precious than ever now. Being alone without a strong social circle is hard. However life does not have to be this way. And your college experience does not have to submit to this same fate.

Here at Winters, the community is vibrant. In fact our college likely has one of the strongest communities at York. Evidence of this is the Absinthe Pub, the last student-run pub on campus. We want you to come to community events with us and be with us. We want to get to know you because we care about you and we are genuinely interested in getting to know you. Of course there are many communities at York, not just Winters. There are hundreds, in fact. Here is a tiny, completely un-extensive list of ways to find community at York: •

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Winters College (Winters Council, attending the Ab, pub nights on Thursdays, our Formal at the end of the Year) Your Residence

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York has hundreds of clubs. At the beginning of the year there is always a campuswide club fair. Find out when that is and hit it up.

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Sports. Join intramurals even if you suck at sports, they are lots of fun and no one minds if you cannot hit a ball to save your life. You are not alone.

You will, however, meet lots of new people and greatly enhance your social life and your mental health and wellbeing.

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Engage in discussion with your classmates in tutorials. Befriend your professors. They are probably cooler than you.

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Get involved in York politically. Become a volunteer for York’s student government (or voice your opposition against them). Whichever your fancy.

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There is a big sparkly new student centre on campus that they just built. Hang out there.

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In closing, I apologize if this was not the warm, fuzzy “welcome to university” spiel you were expecting. But if there is one, just one teensy, singular thing you could do that would bring a smile to this author’s face, be a part of a community. Any community. A real-life flesh-and-blood physical community. Belong to something more than yourself. You will probably live longer.

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TTC BY BROOKE DALTON

LIFESTYLE

WELCOME TO YORK, and welcome to Toronto. Just two years ago I was making a huge change of scenery by coming to the city to do my bachelor’s degree, much like many of you. I am from a small city in Alberta, and coming to Toronto was a big change. Now I do not really consider myself much of a city person, even though I grew up in a city. We have a transit system a Cineplex, and three high schools, not exactly small, right? At about 100,000 residence, growing up here does not make me a country bumpkin, does it? But when I came to Toronto, that is how I felt.

Once you finally sort out the ins and outs of the transit system, just try and relax.

It is a great time to read, if you are into that, or listen to music or people watch.

Be aware, but most people do not bother you if you do not bother them. And if you ever do feel uncomfortable, you can move down the train, or get off and wait for the next one. It took me awhile to become comfortable, part of it is probably due to my obsession with listening to true crime podcasts, maybe not the best setting on a train surrounded by strangers with my wild imagination.

The city is huge and exciting, and full of energy! But this can be scary! I was living on campus when I first moved, and it is easy to get accustomed to York, figure out where all the good food spots are, the best times to get seats at the library, etc. But I think the sooner you leave this safety net, the better. Go into the city!

I would invite you to explore the city with your new-found freedom, find some restaurants you like to go to. It is so easy to get stuck in the bubble at York, it is very refreshing to take a few hours and just go downtown, alone, or with some friends.

When I need a little break I always go get ramen and coffee on Queen St. West, then hit up the BVM book store on Bloor!

It breaks me out of the York bubble.

I wanted to go downtown but had no idea how to get there. Google Maps is your best friend. And speaking of best friends, mine told me about which busses to take, what stops to make. She was very patient with me, and thank goodness for that because I felt so silly. I was scared of public transit?

Who is scared of the subway? Well, a lot of people, so if you fit into that category just relax and accept it full force; I am scared of the subway! The TTC scares me.

If Toronto starts to feel like home for you, that is wonderful. But if it does not, do not stress, Toronto provides so many great opportunities for a student, and if you still feel like a country bumpkin deep down, like I do, that is okay, but at least you will know how to use the subway.

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Sleepless in Res BY KABEER GARBA

LIFESTYLE

THEY SAY THAT the worst day in prison is the second, because it is the first time that you wake up in prison and you wake up feeling free. Well having a roommate has a similar effect. It is not that I did not feel free or anything like that it more that… I could not be myself? Almost as if physically I was free but emotionally I was still trapped. I used to sleep naked at home. I felt as though it was the most comfortable way to sleep. I felt free and like I could fly during my dreams, and then when I went to sleep in res I put with my boxers on and all I could feel was the edge of them slowly ride up my thighs into that area that I really should not mention. They pulled and pushed and stuck all in the wrong places and I could not focus on anything else.

And right when I had the confidence to just take off the fucking boxers and be free, my roommate decided to walk into the room and start talking to me about the girl down the hall because, she is actually with him right now and he needs the room to

himself. Being the person he is he decided the quickest way to get me out would just be to rip the sheets right off of the bed. It was a pretty bad first night in res. I did not have a bad roommate though, we got along on most levels as they weeks and months of first year slowly moved past us. I think the best memory I have of him would be when we went to our first joint lecture second term. We sat there in silence paying as much attention to the professor as we possibly could, being these really good students that wrote down every detail and organized every note… The next week we both woke up and looked at each and went “Naaaaaaah.” The most productive class I had was because I wanted to seem like I was a really good student in front of my roommate who seemed to have all his shit together. The first time I skipped was when I learned he was only pretending to have his shit together because he thought I did.

Funny how that works sometimes, is it?

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BY KARLEY JAGUSIC

HIGH SCHOOL WAS, admittedly, a difficult time for me. I had awful self-esteem, I was stuck in a toxic group of friends, and it was an environment where I was unable to be myself. Now, I do not pretend that this is a special experience – high school is a hard time for many, many people. I only mention this so you understand what my life was like before I came to Winters.

I remember feeling so nervous as my frosh drew nearer and nearer.

After graduating, I had only remained in contact with a couple of close friends, and the summer had been very lonely for me. I was scared that I would not make any friends at frosh – it is always been tough for me, because I get so into my own head and can come off as a little abrasive. My group of friends in high school had left me

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feeling like it was impossible that school supplies, bright eyed and people would want to be friends bushy tailed. It was my first with me. theatre course as well, so doubly exciting. The friends I made at Winters proved me wrong frosh and I sat front row, eager immediately. My roommate was to start learning. I did realize, lovely – she and I met up before about ten minutes into the lecture, frosh to get to know each other that I had no idea how hard my and we became fast friends. academic life was about to get, I fell into friendships with other and I was way in over my head, people in my program easily but hey, I was learning about as we talked in our Facebook something I loved so it could not group, and I realized that almost be that bad! everyone else was just as nervous as I was. When the first day of Other firsts: my first subway ride, frosh rolled around, I was still where I fell over twice trying to nervous, but I was also excited to stay upright; my first university start a fresh chapter of my life. house party, where I made a fool of myself in front of all the upper I was determined to be a new years I had crushes on; my person when I moved to York, first good birthday, when I turned and so during frosh, I pushed eighteen and my friends (who myself to do new things. I went to later became my roommates in every event – even the ones that second year) made me feel on top were outside of my comfort zone, of the world; my first university like the quad parties and dirty exam, which I definitely did not bingo. With every event, every study enough for… A lot of firsts new experience, came incredible in theatre, like my first time things, like new friends and doing production for shows. This increasing self-confidence. Frosh chapter in my life was becoming was the first time I was allowed the most interesting one yet, and to be out as bisexual, and it felt for the first time in a long time, so easy, since there were so many I was waking up every day happy other out people on the LGBTQ+ and looking forward to what spectrum in Winters. I went from came next. being part of a small handful of closeted people in my high school I had been determined to step out to part of a huge, celebratory of my comfort zone and grow as queer community, and it changed a person, to be independent and my life. It felt okay to just be me. confident, and York, Winters especially, was allowing me to do Many firsts followed for me just that. A friend from high school, even after frosh ended. My first one I had never been particularly real university lecture was so close with, reached out as second exciting – I came with all of my term was coming to an end and

told me that she could tell how much happier I was at York, that I seemed like I was where I belonged. And she was right.

Despite all the stresses that come with first year, I was happier than I had ever been. That too, was a first for me. I can tell you it is because of the people. The friends – the family – I have found in Winters made my first year, and then my second year, the most wonderful time of my life.

I cannot promise that your first year will be as much a revelation as mine was, but what I can promise is that if you push yourself out of your comfort zone and try new things, amazing things just might happen. It might not always be amazing – sometimes you step outside of the box and nothing happens. It is worth the wait for when something does.

Winters can be daunting at first.

Our community seems wild and chaotic and that can be scary, especially when you are trying to dip your toe in for the first time. Give it a chance, take it one step at a time. Winters has given me more love and comfort than I know what to do with. This community is a family that will welcome you with open arms if you let them. You will have a lot of firsts this year, some good, some bad, but Winters will be there for you no matter what.

Happy frosh!

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ARTICHOKE

END GOAL IS WORTH IT

BY MENNA ELNAKA

WHEN I DISCOVERED my interest in writing, my grade 12 English teacher used to tell me I will get a U grade, which in the British curriculum means ‘ungraded’, due to how it’s too bad the graders cannot even judge it. To her, it was a good motivational way to bring the best in me. Maybe it worked, but even if it did, it scared me and started an insecurity which I did not know existed in me before. But I chose to ignore it and went on.

In my first year at the University of Toronto Mississauga back in 2013, studying a specialist in political science, and a major in professional writing and communication, one of the nicest professors I know told me the problem was in my writing style. I am sure he did not mean it, because he is very supportive now. But at the time, it ignited all the insecurities my grade 12 teacher started in me, making me doubt my abilities and doubt my passion and doubt my choice to the writing program in the first place.

I thought maybe I should quit. I know, too dramatic, but I was fresh out of high

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school, in a new country, away from my parents, and missing everything back home. I wanted to quit, yes. I was scared of the challenge. Then I thought, with the help of my mother, if I quit now, I’ll be taking the easy way out and will never reach my goal. My goal, by the way, was– still is– to become a journalist, to shed light on stories, to investigate issues, to help people, to deliver information. So, I decided to give it another go.

I found about my campus’s weekly newspaper and wrote my first news article ever for them. I remember running to the stand on Monday, excited and thrilled, flipping through the pages, over and over, looking for my name, for a familiar event that I covered. And found nothing. It did not even make it to the then-three page print news section. It went online only.

And above that, barely looked like the article I initially wrote. But it was too late to undo my determination. I wanted to be a journalist. And no, not just wanted, I was going to be a journalist. Instead of having it disappoint me, I wrote like never before, took the most challenging articles, became the associate news editor four weeks later, then the news editor, then eventually the managing editor of the newspaper.

Along the process, I got to intern for almost three months at Al Jazeera Media Network. And now, after a postgraduation year full of struggle and

disappointment to land a job in my field, I am about to start my master’s degree in journalism this September at Canada’s top journalism school, Ryerson University.

Now, this is not a resume that I am trying to share with you all. But if I were to ever have the position of sharing experience, it will be to never give up. University is one damn tough challenge but it is also one damn life experience. You either get to come out with the best of it, or you make it about your GPA and that is it, which by the way will not necessarily land you where you want. Get out, talk to people, network, join clubs, attend events, try new things.

Do anything as long as you do not settle.

The first time of everything is going to be challenging, but it will stick with you forever, and will probably make you smile whenever you look back at it. But you will get there. Do not be afraid to dream and do not hesitate to set your goals high, way high. You can always do it if you set your mind to it–that is not a cliche. Many are going to bring you down, maybe because that is how competitive life is, maybe because it is their way of motivating you, or maybe because they do not see what you are capable of. You are though. You and only you are capable of finding your passion, igniting it, believing it and lifting yourself up toward your goal.

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ARTICHOKE

BY RACHEL HENFREY

OF FIRSTS

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FIRST YEAR, IS what it truly sounds like, a “year of firsts”. One of the main firsts, is having to live in residence in one’s own room. It may seem daunting at first because you may not have lived outside of your home before, never shared a room before, and you may not even know how to do a cleaning task, such as vacuum your room. Have no fear, however, because you are not alone in this boat, many other residents have not experienced these situations before. But do not worry, I have some tips that can help you combat these scenarios and other ways to make living in residence a little less stressful and intimidating. The first step is to think about the size of your room, if you have your own room or sharing a room with a roommate. This will let you think about how much space you have before you decorate your room. Then, it is on to the most fun part, making your room your home. I suggest choosing a bedspread that catches your eye, as your bed is the place you will be sleeping in, and you want to be the most comfortable. I also suggest buying a foam mattress cover as the beds in residence can be pretty hard on one’s back. I also suggest printing out pictures that remind you of your friends, family, or anyone that reminds you of home and a sense of belonging. Even though you will be able to make friends, looking at those pictures can be a great way to reflect on the

support you have from them and that you are not alone when your schedule becomes busy and homework starts to pile up.

After you have sorted out your room, it is time to make friends at frosh. Frosh at Winters helped me make friends and many of them have been a part of my life while in university. During frosh, you get to participate in fun events such as lip-sync battles, parties in the quad, and have a dance party on a boat overlooking downtown Toronto. It is a time of first year that you will not regret participating in. During your first two weeks of classes do not be afraid to ask your dons for any help when it comes to doing laundry, how to rent out supplies such as a vacuum from the porter station, as well as where buildings are. Trust me, it is worth asking questions, rather than being left in the big sea of York to fend for yourself. You have resources, use them! Also, do not be shy to hang out with others on your floor or from different floors. Residence is a building of rooms for a reason, it is a place for students to live together, share a space, and enjoy each other’s company. So, open your door if you want others to come and say hello, or write a message to everyone on your whiteboard. Last, but not least enjoy yourself! It is your time to shine, step out of your comfort zone, and be the best you can be. You got this.

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DORM ROMANCE:

A STORY ABOUT THE WORST WAY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT

BY VANESSA SANDOVAL

I THINK MY first official relationship did not happen until I moved five-ish hours away from home (the farthest I could get without suspicion and objection befalling me) while I was living in residence.

You have to understand: I grew up in a strict household with a mother who said I can date after I am married (that is called an affair by the way); my father “forgot” to give me the sex talk and instead, patted me on the head proudly, and told me I was smart and I’d figure it out; and a predominantly white neighbourhood where a majority of the desired popular kids were, well, white. Also, I went to an arts high school where there were

four girls for every one guy and of every five guys, one of them was not straight.

Basically, I’m trying to paint a portrait for you that I like to call How I Could Never Get a Guy. They say that dorm romances are intense because you can spend every breathing minute with your significant other when you’re not in class, and this is not a drillthis is too easy to do. Especially because your first relationship is always the most intense you’ve ever had. My first started with the ferocity and intensity of the first day of your period. Specifically on the bed of the guy I was interested in.

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My strategy at the time had been to take a genuine interest in my crush’s hobbies and then adopt them. This was competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee all day in his room with exception to pee breaks, homework, and eating hours. We actually got along, which I thought was maybe not a sign from the heavens, but definitely a sign not to be ignored. I spent a lot of time with him hanging out in his room. My room was on the first floor and his was on the fourth. Due to the crime that is Winters Residence not having an elevator (but wheelchair accessible doors on the second to fourth floors for some stupid architectural reason), I would have to climb three flights of stairs to make this work. Eventually, I just stayed there because I didn’t want to make the trip back down.

We were friends. One day he suggested we watch this five hour documentary on Youtube about Smash. As a film production major, I was mildly interested. As a human person with more productive things to do, I was not. However, as an artist desperate to repaint the portrait of How I Could Never Get A Guy, I was very willing to try.

Towards the end of the documentary, which actually wasn’t that bad, I was overcome with this feeling of pain in my abdominal area and this feeling I can’t describe other than wrongness. I remember slipping my hand under my butt and realizing what had just happened and tried to stop the slowly, but surely, hysterical panic engulf me and make me Lose My Shit. Through the fog of This Is Not Happening, I managed to assess my options.

I had no options.

The guy slept with white bedding, a white pillow case, no blanket but a single white

sheet of cloth. There was no juice, no wine, not even Kool-Aid could save me.

The end of the documentary was probably the most awkward memory I have to this day. I remember realizing I just had to face the music like a Woman head-on and, come what may, at least I wasn’t dead.

My chances with this guy were dead, but physically I was going to be fine.

We had very little to say to one another.

I was actually relieved when he told me it was fine, and he could run his stuff to the washing machine. I was practically begging him to let me do it. He probably saw through my brave face because when he insisted it was fine, I flew out of there. I spent the rest of the night haunted by the idea he might never talk to me again.

We ended up talking the next day after my night porter shift. He seemed normal, as if what had passed the night before hadn’t happened at all. I told myself, “You can’t possibly embarrass yourself further at this point” so I asked him out. We dated for a month before he decided he wasn’t ready for a relationship.

I can’t say I learned a whole lot from that relationship, exactly, There are so many other firsts I had that year that had a more significant impact on who I am today, that I think it would be unfair to say it changed me. First time living alone, first time cooking for five days straight because I ran out of meal plan money, first anxiety attack, first time getting drunk and almost getting abducted, first all-nighter, etc.

A first is important though.

A first needs to exist for there to be a second, or a third. Unless that first is getting abducted, I can’t possibly think of a worse way I could ask someone out, so there’s only blue skies from here on out.

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