The Artichoke Vol. 7. No. 3/4

A break from your breakdowns

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 | VOL. 7 NO. 3

A MENTAL HOLIDAY

ARTICHOKE

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

2

hello friends and readers!

Wherever you are or whatever you’re doing, it mustn’t be easy but we are nearing the end of the year, which means we can all partake in false or true new year resolutions and enjoy the break with what it comes. For the students, you’re (literally) half way there, just hang in there and reach that ridiculous word count your professor requires, the last stroke for that painting, or last leg of that design project. And for those reading who are not students, I’m glad and kind of surprised you’re reading this publication but nonetheless, I appreciate your readership and support. The end of the year is probably not any easier for you either but as my mother once responded to me when I was stressed: “Keep calm and carry on!”. Yes, it was a meme.

Our November and December double issue focuses on more than just the holidays and exams. Our writers worked to shed light on the stress and mental health ups and downs that comes with the end of the year along with some helpful tips and tricks on how to work with it and even distract yourself with some fun things to do during the break in Toronto. I mean, let’s be honest, if anyone knows how to do winter right, it’s Canada, specifically Toronto but I may be biased.

Read, enjoy, relax, do you.

P.S My boyfriend would like to be acknowledged for the play on words for the magazine subtitle. So there, you happy, Cameron?

Much love, Safa Gangat

WINTERS

ASSISTANT EDITOR breathe, it all over.

This hectic semester is all over and it is time for you to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. My beautiful Editor-in-Chief and I have decided to have this combined issue focused on mental health, and our beautiful writers have done a great job in doing that.

Now, get your glass of wine or a mug of hot chocolate, sit back, and enjoy reading.

Much love and respect, Lamia Abozaid

DESIGN EDITOR we made it!

This issue marks the end of the semester and the start of start of the holidays. I hope everyone has a relaxing winter break and unwinds with some of the helpful tips and tricks outlined in our special combined holiday/mental health issue. Remember to treat yourself this holiday season!

Cheers, Sarah Wong

3

ARTICHOKE

CONTRIBUTORS

Editor-In-Chief

Safa Gangat

Assistant Editor

Lamia Abozaid

Writers

Carl Cachero Genevieve Canavan Alexandra Caprara Katherine Collier Kelly Estomo Maddysin Fisher Kabeer Garba Michael Petruzzelli Sierra Riley Lilian Rubilar Francesca Smita Soni Zlatko Tyulev Maya Vukov Jessie Whyte

Design Editor

Sarah Wong

Designers

Bri Coggans Kristina Pura-Cruz Holden Kao Samneet Mann Sarah Manyoki Mars Quave Elisabeth Yoon Michelle Young

4

For past issues: issuu.com/artichokemag

WINTERS

IN THIS ISSUE

Love, Actually Maya Vukov

Alexandra Caprara

20

Is Winters Sexual?

Maddysin Fisher

Tips on How to De-Stress Rachael Henfrey

22

20 Things to Do When You Feel Like Rock Bottom Kelly Estomo

Merry Selfmas, and a Happy New Year

Creative

08

10

12

Love of Glum Kabeer Breeze Garba

14

Heading Home Katherine Collier

Lifestyle

18

Feature

Help With Holiday Blues Genevieve Canavan

Caring For Your Mental Health & Well-Being Shalyn Isaacs

Entertainment

16

06

5

ARTICHOKE

Caring For Your Mental Health & Well-Being

BY SHALYN ISAACS PRESIDENT/FOUNDER OF WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH TALKS, 4TH YEAR HONORS PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR

6

mental health can certainly be difficult to talk about and address due to widespread misconceptions and stigmatization surrounding the topic.

As a result, people often suffer in silence when experiencing troubling emotions.

From my own experiences, I personally know how difficult it can be to feel out of place in your own body or like you are completely alone with these feelings that can be quite overwhelming. Throughout the years I have discovered different coping strategies that have enabled me to live a more fulfilling life. I still struggle with difficult emotions and thoughts sometimes, as this is an inevitable aspect of the human experience, yet through utilizing strategies to take better care of my mental health, these feelings are no longer so burdensome.

It is important to remember that I am not a professional and that although the following strategies work for me, they may not work for everyone. Taking care of your mental health is a lifelong, continuous process that involves experimenting with different strategies to discover what works best for you. It is also vital to be as patient

and compassionate with yourself as possible throughout this process. meditation - Many people I know are unfamiliar with the practice of meditation because they believe it is a complicated, time-consuming activity. Meditating is not complicated, although it does require a certain level of focus. There are countless studies that show meditation produces many benefits, some of which include stress reduction, improved concentration, increases in volume in brain regions related to happiness and emotional regulation, and helping to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. There are also numerous types of meditation that have been practiced for centuries in different cultures and religions around the world, so it is beneficial to conduct research into what types suit your lifestyle and try it out. journaling - Writing is a fantastic way to release bottled emotions and thoughts.

You do not have to write every day, but on a consistent basis is a good place to start. I have been writing in journals for the past three years and have found that it is easier to identify patterns in my behaviour, emotions,

FEATURE

and relationships and to make any necessary changes. It is also a wonderful way to see how much you have grown and changed throughout the years. self-affirmations and visualizations - We often rely on the opinions of others to validate our achievements and selfworth. However, this dependence on others’ validation can contribute to stress, anxiety, low-self esteem, and other mental health issues. That is why it is important to remind ourselves of who we are without relying on other people’s opinions of us.

Self-affirmations are powerful statements that alter the way our subconscious minds perceive situations and ourselves. Either during or after my meditation session, I use self-affirmations by reminding myself: “I am strong. I am powerful. I am doing my best.” If you are unable to truly believe such statements about yourself, try using “I want to feel” statements until you start to feel the way you want to, such as “I want to feel successful, I want to feel capable, etc.”

Spending a few moments each day to close your eyes and visualize the ideal person

you want to be or the ideal outcome of a situation also helps amplify the effects of self-affirmations. talking with someone you trust - It takes courage to talk with someone you trust about what you are going through, but it can really help lighten any weight that you may be carrying on your shoulders. Whether it is a family member, a doctor, a counselor, or a friend, it can be extremely relieving to find support from someone that is compassionate and understanding. We need to be there for each other more often.

I hope that you find some of these strategies helpful and that they are able to benefit you in a similar way that they helped me to live a better life. This article does not come close to covering all the different coping strategies that one can use to care for their mental health and overall well-being.

If you are interested in talking further about mental health and coping strategies, please feel free to send me a message at isaacsshalyn@gmail.com.

7

ARTICHOKE

Merry Selfmas, and a Happy

8

with the semester nearly over and everything suddenly being pushed into hyper speed with deadlines and exams happening all at once, I find myself completely forgetting about the holiday season being right around the corner. Instead of being excited about seeing the city lit up and getting to go home to my family, I have been far too preoccupied with what feels like a never ending amount of work to get done. “Happy Holidays� suddenly just did not seem to fit into my life anymore. It is dawning on me as of recently that so many of us get sucked into the whirlpool of deadlines and assignments, so that we completely forget to take care of ourselves and actually step back from all the hustle and bustle of student life.

So what can be done to end the ba-humbugs of the almost-but-not-yet- holiday season? I present to you, my dearest reader, the end to (hopefully at least some of) your end of term woes: The 12 days of Selfmas. What are The 12 days of Selfmas you may ask? It is like the 12 days of Christmas, except it does not entail signing obnoxious Christmas songs if you do not want it to, and it is literally a list of 12 things over 12 days that promote self care, so you can bring some winter cheer back into your life. Whether you will be stuck on campus for the holidays or are planning on getting away from the York bubble, here are some things to make these dreary times a little more merry and bright.

ENTERTAINMENT

New Year

BY ALEXANDRA CAPRARA

On the first day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: an actual full night’s worth of sleep.

On the second day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: your favorite festive drink while sitting down for a few hours to watch whatever movie or show that puts a smile on your face.

On the third day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: reading a book that is not a textbook or course related material (bonus if it is by the fire) (double bonus if you made that fire out of your textbooks) On the fourth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: baked goodies like those Pillsbury cookies you liked as a kid. Call up friends to share, or treat yourself!

On the fifth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: Five gold stars because you are doing amazing, you made it this far, and you are almost done!

On the sixth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: Meditation classes offered year round, Thursdays from 5:00pm-6:00pm in CFT. If you are home for the holidays, “Relax Meditation”, and “Headspace” are free apps that also work wonders.

On the seventh day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: an at home day of pampering, even if it is as simple as doing a face mask, sleeping in, or taking a bubble bath.

On the eighth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: a phone call from your family, from your friend, or yourself care buddy, to catch up and reconnect rather than just like their Facebook posts.

On the ninth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: a night out enjoying all the free events Toronto is having throughout the month, with anyone you want or on your own.

On the tenth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: an hour of disconnecting from the internet and your phone to sit down and create, breathe, listen to your favorite music, or take a walk. Do your thing.

On the eleventh day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: a list of all the things you accomplished that day, or even that week. Take a second to realize just how much you have done and how far you have come.

On the twelfth day of SelfMas, with love from me to me: the gift of knowing when it is okay to say no, to take a break, and give yourself permission to step back from it all and breathe when you need to.

And with that, I say: Merry Selfmas to all, and to all a good rest of your year filled with self love, self care, and all the joy that comes with being done the semester and having a well earned break. Cheers!

9

ARTICHOKE

TIPS ON HOW TO 10

BY RACHAEL HENFREY

as the school year becomes closer there always seems to be a conversation that involves the saying “I am stressed� after someone asks you how you are doing. The fact that this is an answer most of us in society give, should notify us that we need to relax and take some time for ourselves in order to deal with the business that December brings.

Here are some tips that may help you destress wherever you may be, whether at home, on campus, or even on a TTC bus.

1. ADULT COLORING BOOKS Adult coloring books come in all sizes and themes and can help one to clear their mind when stressed by the focus they put into colouring a picture. Also, the repetitive motion of colouring can help with the loss of stress as well.

Suggested stores: PaperChase at The Bay, Chapters, Coles

ENTERTAINMENT

11 2. BATH BOMBS Bath Bombs are great when you need some time to wind down and to relax even after a workout at the gym. Playing your favorite music as you enjoy your bath can also help relax you. If you are not a big fan of strong scents, there are some less fragmented options as well.

Suggested stores: Lush (Over and Over bath bomb, bath wands), a local market (usually have fresh organic ones) 3. MUSIC There is no shame in jamming out to your favorites albums from your favorite artists.

Doing a paper, walking to class, or even waiting for a bus are just some times when you can use music to de-stress. Pop-in those headphones and let the music take you to a relaxing place.

Suggested Albums: Millennium by Backstreet Boys (when you want it that way ), Rumors by Fleetwood Mac ( when you want to go your own way), and Partition by BeyoncĂŠ (when you just feel like you need to slay).

4. EXERCISE Going on a run, on a walk, or hitting the slopes are different activities that you can use to clear your mind during the winter months.

Suggested Trails in Toronto: High Park, Evergreen Brickworks, Rouge Park Trails of The Rouge Valley (Scarborough), Waterfront Trail (Scarborough, behind Rouge Hill Go Train station), and the Don Valley Trails Skiing suggestion: Dagmar, a great local ski lodge in Uxbridge area and favorite to many if they want a chill ski-day with friends and family.

ARTICHOKE

“They have all be touched by the love of Glum”

12

CREATIVE

BY KABEER BREEZE GARBA

death is something feared by many souls To be shot in the heart and left with a hole we fear nothing more than the thought of him the reaper of chaos the reaper of grim but there is another who can hurt us more our narrow minds can be left sore the reasons why clowns cry or pirates drink rum They have all be touched by the love of Glum The brother of death who holds that back Will bring you to tears with a hateful attack He’ll rip out your heart and squeeze till it cries He’ll force those of care about to tell you lies He’ll betray your trust and leave you in crumbs Never fall fast for the love of glum A reaper who leaves your body in tack Because death is the easy way out, that’s a fact He’ll steal from you, the ones you hold dear And show you yourself when in a mirror He’ll tear down anything that you grew He’ll touch your skin and turn it blue Feeling broken and sorrow is the sum For when you feel the love of glum So keep your eyes forward and your head locked down

13 and paint on your face a believable frown for if he sees you finished with a smile it will be the last one you have for a while for glum stays away from those who forlorn he doesn’t go after those hearts too worn as he understands how it feels to be sad he picked it up quick from his gloom reaper dad all he wants is to feel that joy that thing called love from a girl or a boy he seeks those who feel happy, could they be the cure to take is tar heart and turn it pure he seeks advice, or maybe a helping hand or someone who he can just call a friend but with each effort his hopes fall through as he asks himself could it be you for the answer is known as hearts flush that this person will weep at his touch call it stupid, call it dumb it’s a curse to feel the love of glum

ARTICHOKE

14

BY KATHERINE COLLIER

i looked out the windows of the bus as it rolls down the empty road. The sun had fallen some time ago, and it felt as though we were crawling along to reach our destination. The bus itself was quiet, everyone patiently waiting for the bus to reach its stop.

I took a brief look at the people around me and sonder struck me.

Each of us had our own individual lives, with families and people to return to. I am sure not everyone on this bus was heading home for the holidays but I felt many were. I was struck by the face of a man, his dark silhouette outlined against the only slightly lighter world outside his window. It was impossible to make out his features, but he was there, a person. What was he doing on this bus? Was he visiting his

family? Returning from a business trip? Would everyone who cared for him welcome him home with open arms?

What if he had no one to go home to? What if his return was to a home with a lonely couch that doubles as his bed and a TV that would watch him as he passed out just moments after crossing the threshold and letting his exhausted body rest?

Outside, the moon was rising, albeit slowly, lighting up the snowcovered fields we passed. I hated this time of year solely for the fact that it got so dark so quickly. One could easily get lost in the vast whiteness that rushed past the window, the landscape only being broken by the occasional barn or country home.

CREATIVE

Just two more exits, and we would be pulling into the town that I had called home for most of my life. It was strange how quickly the meaning of home could change. I had become a city girl during my time away, knowing more about subways and skyscrapers than paths in the forest and my nearest friends and neighbours being a mile away.

But this would always be home to my heart, the open fields with wild horses and hay bales that we would climb in the summer.

“Thank you for taking the Greyhound. We have reached our destination on this Christmas eve.

Happy holidays.” The driver spoke in a sleepy but content tone. He must have been done for the night.

We filed off the bus, each person stooping beside the bus to pick up their baggage that had already been unloaded. Spirits were joyous, everyone rushed to meet cars that were waiting for them, all except the man I had noticed on the bus.

He stood, looking out the front window of the bus terminal, a small shabby bag by his feet on the floor. I had a few moments to wait for my own ride home; my brother had offered to pick me up.

I sent a quick text to my brother, to tell him I was waiting and looked up at the man again. No one deserved to be alone on the holidays. My feet moved on their own with the silent command my subconscious had given them, only to freeze in their place a moment later.

The man’s face lit up with a smile as a little girl ran through the doors of the station, laughing excitedly and calling out to the man, her father. He picked her up and twirled her around, asking her why she was not in bed yet as a woman joined the picture. She seemed small standing next to the two of them, soft grey curls shaping her face.

She embraced the man, and made a comment that he must not have been eating enough.

My eyes took in the last few people in the station, each of them with their own stories and their own families, each one their own distinct person I would never come to know. The only story I would ever fully know was my own, and for that moment all that truly mattered was that I was almost home.

15

ARTICHOKE

Help With Holiday Blues

BY GENEVIEVE CANAVAN

16

LIFESTYLE

winter for a lot of people can mean celebration, time with family and friends, cozy sweaters, holiday treats, all great things! For many though, it means less sun which can equate to a sadder mood and less motivation. Sometimes it can even mean depression.

Combating seasonal depression among other mental illness can be difficult and sometimes impossible.

As someone who has struggled with seasonal depression and other mental illnesses, these are things that have helped me deal with both of them and have improved my mood in the often too dingy, too dark, and too cold dead of winter. I hope they can help you too!

1. Talk it out: This may seem like an obvious one, but it is SO IMPORTANT. Whether it is with a friend, professor, parent, or professional, it will help. When you are in the thick of it, it can seem like all the shit you are dealing with are things no one has ever had to go through.

We often suffer from terminal

uniqueness. Even if you are not looking for advice, nobody should have all that mental clutter inside them. Also, there is no shame in getting professional help, even just for a little while.

2. Enjoy the holidays: If you celebrate any of them of course! I know for me, holidays can bring an insane amount of stress (my family is a mess and I am a perfectionist so it makes buying gifts quite difficult) but I try to focus on how grateful I am for my friends and the people that really matter to me.

Go to the Distillery District, drink some hot chocolate, get cozy with a movie and blanket, and look around at the snow and take a deep breath.

3. Make gratitude lists: Something that helped me be a little more optimistic (this did not solve my mental health issues FYI, if only it were that easy) and could get me out of a funk for a little while was realizing all I had to be grateful for. I have this awesome book called “It’s Gonna Be Okay:

A journal to reassure myself when I’m overwhelmed by the creeping sense of impending disaster and the all-encompassing fears both specific and vague that colonize my mind, body, and soul. All of which, from the complete far-fetched to the sometimes probable, do me no good to contemplate and in fact make me miserable, and even though optimism may not be self-aware and ill-placed, I know I will be happier as a blind fool than a clairvoyant apocalyptic.”

Yes…that is the whole title. As cheesy as it sounds, we can often forget all of the wonderful things around us.

4. Remember this too shall pass: If holidays and the winter months are not your thing (I am a summer girl myself) know that without a doubt, one thing you can count on in life is the changing of seasons. The days will become longer, brighter, and eventually the flowers will bloom once again.

17

ARTICHOKE

ACTUALLY A LIST BY MAYA VUKOV

18

a list of ways to show love this holiday season that does not involve consuming relatively meaningless commodities. (Let’s be honest, having to buy someone’s affection doesn’t feel that great anyways):

1. Write a letter 2. Buy someone a book from a used bookstore that makes you think of them

3. Take someone out who has been longing to spend time with you

4. Take your dog on a walk

LIFESTYLE

5. Spend time with your family.

Because that is probably what your gifts were partly making up for anyways

6. Make someone a playlist of songs you think they would like

7. Write them a poem 8. Make them food 9. Start a winter garden (they are super cool!)

10. Build a snow person, sculpture or anything you want. Just get outside and breath some real air with someone

11. Delete your social media and put your phone in a drawer while you’re home. You will be surprised how much more engaged they find you

12. Make someone a physical photo album

13. Drink wine with them

19

ARTICHOKE

20

IS WINTERS SEXUAL?

BY MADDYSIN FISHER

LIFESTYLE

winters is a sexual experience.

That is probably the most correct statement you will ever hear, right?

One thing I want to clear up about Winters is that this college is not about being sexual; it is about being confident. Confidence is sexy and being yourself is even more sexy.

Here at Winters we believe that everyone should be accepted for who they are. Whatever you identify with, or as, you are accepted at Winters! Welcome home bishes.

Winters may get pegged with being too sexual or that we are all crazy for sex, which I mean is not wrong, but that is not all of us. We are a diverse group of people who identify with different stages of sexuality. Guess what? Some of us are virgins; and that is okay! In fact, it is more than okay, because you can be confident without random hook ups.

Whether you have had 30 partners, 2 partners, or no partners at all, expressing your self confidence can be such an amazing stress reliever.

Honestly, going to the Ab in your best outfit and feeling fine as hell can be so satisfying. It feels good to feel good in your skin.

Do not be afraid to feel sexy, handsome, beautiful, or all of the above! Express yourself in how you want to and do not be apologetic. Be unapologetic for being you! And that my friends is what Winters is about.

So take a fly as fuck selfie and feel good. Be in an ugly holiday sweater, wear those bomb glasses, feel fresh in that lingerie, and above all else, be confident in yourself.

The Winters family will always accept you. You are home.

Love, MadFish

21

ARTICHOKE

20 Things to Do When You Feel Like Rock Bottom

BY KELLY ESTOMO

01. live without needing to hear affirmation from anybody. Tell yourself that you are enough, in this very moment. Tell yourself that every day. Every day, it will be true.

02. Take your anger and make something tangible; one for yourself, one for somebody else. (Be angry, because you have every right to be, but be MORE than angry. You can be empathetic and open, just as much as you are angry.)

03. There is bravery in being soft, so let yourself feel as much as you need. You do not have to measure your strength by how much pain you can endure.

04. Talk to/Call one person with the intention of asking about them, every day. Offer love and honesty and gratitude, and you will both radiate at every angle. It is easy to forget how many people enjoy your Hello’s. You will be doing each other a favour.

05. Pretend you know exactly what you are doing, even if you do not. And if you keep that up, soon enough, you truly will.

06. Be destructive in the presence of wise people you know and trust. They will let you take X amount of shots, and hold you back once you are sobbing over where the bottle went.

07. You are not broken; you are hibernating, so take your time. Healing is a constant, neverending process.

LIFESTYLE

08. Take a shower after every good cry. Drink lots of water. Text your friends that you love them. Make yourself mac n cheese in the middle of the night. Fall asleep to a Netflix comedy or your favourite album. These are good fillers in between school, work, and of course, a good cry.

09. Give yourself something to look forward to that is not a person.

15. Feel your pulse. You are surviving people and places, and you are here now, living. You should be so proud.

16. Make two separate jars, one labeled Feelings and the other called Self Worth. Know that no matter how many times you hurt, it should not change how you view yourself. They are two separate jars.

17. Get breakfast with a friend.

10. Allow yourself the comforting things that you have not allowed yourself before.

11. If you relapse, I still love you. Be gentle with yourself. Love yourself the way your parent loves you / dog loves you / little kid on the subway who likes your smile loves you.

12. There is ALWAYS someone on your team, even when you fuck up. They will remind you that you are worth more than your fuck ups.

13. Know that you cannot be strong all the time.

Strength is not stable, and is not meant to be.

It fluctuates, but does not disappear.

14. THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT: When you see something triggering, stop, acknowledge every passing feeling, and then write. Type how you are feeling into your notes app, write it down on your hand, or recite something in your head. Do not forget to breathe as you center yourself. You will have done two things at this point: a) validate your current emotions, and b) created a poem, blurb, lyric, etc. If you are going to drown, you are going to drown in the myriad of your own art.

18. Look into boxing, jog to punk music, or throw fruits at an abandoned wall. You shake when you cry and you tremble when you are angry because you store so much fight. There is power in your fear, your sobbing, your screaming down the highway that nobody hears.

19. Write/Type a message to someone you miss.

When it is sent, realize that there is no wrong time for anything. Every moment is the right time.

20. Live without the need to hear affirmation from anybody. But surround yourself with people who make that impossible.

23

For past issues: ISSUU.COM/ARTICHOKEMAG