Lazy Faire — February 2021

FEBRUARY 2021 ISSUE

ALANA KRAHN STUDENTS’ UNION VP OPERATIONS & FINANCE. INSPIRATION. EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS’ UNION.

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Editor’s Note

CONTRIBUTORS VP Editorial Nandini Chandra

Writers

Sara Assaf

VP Art & Design

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

Jazlynn Chan

Designers

Vaneeza Asif Kim Tinana Quincy Tran Jacqueline Wong

Photographers

David Dang Lucia Sanchesviesca

VP Marketing Red Enorme

Social Media & Website Director Melanie Mah

Suits LF David Dang

VP Operations & Finance Bradley May

W

e’re no strangers to the “grind” of work, school, and the like. However, when the monotony sets in, when your daily routine is the same day in and day out, the grind becomes almost a habit - the same tasks, the same ideas and the same motivations until you don’t even realise that something might not be working for you. Maybe you just follow through with whatever works for others - maybe it’s flashcards or memorizing everything for a class. Maybe it even works sometimes, but eventually it’s bound to feel tired and unfulfilling.

Our theme this month is BREAKING BAD HABITS, where we want to encourage you to inject a semblance of fulfillment in your work, academic, and personal life by doing things the way you want to do them. We challenge you to do a little soul-searching on what “sparks joy”, what comes as naturally to you as breathing, and what you simply can’t imagine yourself not doing, in hopes of discovering - or rediscovering - your purpose in life. In this issue, we’re going to be looking at what business students have to say about their goals, habits and motivations, taking a look at the impact of the changing structural models of the university administration, and more. Read on!

Parul Kanwar Editor-in-Chief

Table of Contents

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CONTENTS 06

07

08

Meet the Team

Miscellaneous

Thought vs Thought

Lucia Sanchesviesca Red Enorme Jazlynn Chan

6 Tips to Break Bad Habits

College System vs Faculty System

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Student Spolight

Lazy Chat

Club’s Corner

Alana Krahn talks Students’ Union, university experience, and inspiration.

Jared Larsen

Business Exchange Association

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Miscellaneous Study Spots

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Meet The Team

MEET THE TEAM

Lucia Sanchesviesca

I am currently a fourth-year Fashion Business Management student from Monterrey, Mexico. Besides being a photographer at Lazy Faire Magazine, I’m also the Events Vice President of the Strategic Management and Organization Club. Something I’m passionate about is learning more about the slow fashion industry and topics on sustainability. After graduation I plan to work in the fashion or design industry while expanding my photography business before pursuing a Master’s in Graphic Design. Another dream of mine is to become a proud owner of many animals and eventually own an animal sanctuary in the mountains!

Photographer

Hi everyone! My name is Red Enorme, and I am a third-year accounting co-op student. I joined Lazy Faire because I think that it is a great way to meet other students and be involved on campus. I am very excited to be this year’s VP marketing!

In my spare time, you will find me getting involved in other clubs, singing and travelling all over the world with my choir, running in the River Valley, and watching a ton of Netflix.

Red Enorme VP Marketing

Jazlynn Chan VP Art & Design

Hey! My name is Jazlynn and I am a 5th year marketing major with a minor in operations management. This is my second year on the team, I joined Lazy Faire last year as a designer and learned a lot during that time. I am very excited to be Lazy Faire’s VP Art and Design this year and hope everyone enjoys the designs this year! Catch me reading or taking care of my plants, in my spare time.

Miscellaneous

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.TIPS TO BREAK BAD HABITS

With Editor-In-Chief Parul Kanwar

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Highlight & Underline Do you tediously study, highlight all the essential things and have Instagram-worthy notes but still, there was no benefit beyond simply reading the text?

This may be because highlighting draws attention to individual facts, hampering the process of making connections and inferences.

Try: Instead of highlighting the entire page, focus on highlighting only the most crucial information. Fair warning, it is easier said than done. Sometimes, EVERYTHING is necessary. Usually, there will be a helpful glossary of terms from the chapter or a vocabulary section available to you in your textbook. Look at that instead.

Zoom & Group Sessions Studying with friends can be fun and relaxing, but you do not get much actual work done.

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Try: Social interaction is very important right now, even if it is just through screens or with masks. If you have to study with friends, set expectations for each other and keep each other on track.

Cramming is something all of us have done. It can be rough for stress levels and grades. You might remember things for the next morning, but chances are it won’t commit to memory by the time finals arrive.

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Relaxing time I have been amid blankets for the longest time, but it is also super easy to get tired and fall asleep while reading anything in bed, let alone reading an essay.

All Nighter Squad

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Designed by: Jacqueline Wong

2 Re-reading to Absorb More I have been told that to read more than once to get the whole meaning of a text. Sometimes it worked, and other times it did not. It can be a big waste of time, especially when I am in a crunch to read something wordfor-word. If you genuinely didn’t understand what you read the first time around, it will probably benefit you to read it again, but sometimes there is a short cut.

Try: If you want to reread the text, browse it for main points and the passage’s general idea. Read the topic sentences and see if that information is something you are familiar with. Pick your battles!

Try: It’s much more effective to dip into the material at intervals over time. If you want to pull an allnighter, try 20 or 30 minutes a day of hardcore, focused studying, and you will see the information sticks to memory better.

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Try: If you have to study in bed, sit on top of the covers or against your bed on the floor. Prop yourself up with pillows to avoid the temptation of lying down. You know what makes you feel the Z’s, so try to minimize the comfort.

Try: If music is your thing and you must have it to concentrate, try low volume and a playlist you are already familiar with - if Classical Music is your jam, that is even better! Music without lyrics or words is always best.

Background Music

Studying with music in the back works for some, but

more often than not, all you might leave with is the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Evermore memorized.

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THOUGHT VS THOUGHT YES!

Writer Vaneeza Asif says Yes!

Thought vs Thought Designed by: Jacqueline Wong

IS THE PROPOSED COLLEGE SYSTEM BETTER THAN THE CURRENT FACULTY SYSTEM?

O

n December 11th, the university announced its plans to establish three new colleges effective July 1st, 2021. These three new colleges are as follows: (1) Health Sciences, (2) Natural & Applied Sciences and (3) Social Sciences & Humanities. Amongst others, the biggest reason cited for this decision was that it would reduce administrative costs. The University of Alberta proposed three models during academic restructuring: (1) Consolidate, (2) College and (3) Hybrid. The Consolidated model, in essence, is what we currently have. The Hybrid model was proposed to have two colleges and three standalone faculties. In the end, the College model was chosen as it seemed to achieve the most savings. In October 2019, the University of Alberta was hit with a $44M budget cut and a onetime suspension of $35 million for infrastructure maintenance. Despite Turpin’s efforts to work with the government towards an agreement, a restructuring had to be done.

So now the university is struggling with funding. What are its options? First and foremost is the College system. Had the university kept the Consolidated system, students’ tuition would have increased more than it has currently. There also would need to have been more layoffs than in a Consolidated system. The increase in layoffs would mean a lower quality of education and university experience and services for students. It would also mean the removal or decrease of many academic resources.

What are the direct effects on students? As of now, it will not impact the courses you take (or need to take) for your final degree. The colleges, led by Executive Deans, will not have the power to make decisions authoritatively. Each Faculty will still have its Academic Dean and autonomy over its curriculums and programs. As of now, faculties retain budget autonomy but are subject to specific parameters around administrative services.

Proposed college model

In the end, this decision was made to save costs by combining faculties, and the revised proposal denotes the amount saved, so it is projected to achieve the intended result. So far, there is not much that affects the students directly that can be attributed to the College System. It was proposed to decrease costs, and it is projected to do just that. Factoring in feasibility and expenses is the better option of the two (College vs. Consolidated). But it is important to note that this is not a solution; it is a band-aid.

Thought vs Thought

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s if this year couldn’t get any more confusing, the University introduced academic restructuring while students perplex their minds as they must adjust to new material. In December, the University declared that they were switching from the traditional faculty system the student body recognizes, known as the consolidated system, to the college system. For reference, the college system would consist of regrouping the initial five faculties into three distinct colleges, with each college composed of related majors.

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NO! Writer Sara Assaf says No!

I prefer the faculty system to the college system. Still, this judgment may be premature given that the student body has not had enough time to experience the changes that come with restructuring fully.

Understandably, the college system was the most economically viable to the executive board, amidst both the provincial parties’ orders and the unprecedented pandemic. While academic restructuring yields opportunities for maintaining personnel and keeping tuition steady, concerns arise regarding what campus life will look like once we can pursue in-person learning. How will campus services offered primarily through faculty offices translate with the new system?

For instance, the current Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Joseph Doucet, was recently appointed as the Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities College. This may be an advantageous position for him to be in, given that he has strong leadership skills, meaningful experiences in business, and that the commerce program has been grouped directly under this college. However, one cannot help but wonder if his delegation will be as effective, and more importantly, if it will replace that of the existing model/status quo.

In many cases, having strength in numbers can be useful as eventually, someone at the end of the line can no longer “hand you off” to the next person down the line and must ultimately address your problem. Given that there is now less personnel in charge of each independent faculty, one would hope that students can access resources more frequently. Although superficial, another concern is the title change. Unfortunately, classism through education reigns prominently. For some, having to share the same college title as a major believed to be below your knowledge expertise can be worrisome and lead to frustration. Of course, this entitlement deserves adequate humbling, in that although some students may take more challenging tests than others, at the end of the day, we’re all students trying our best, and realistically, our chosen majors take precedence over the assigned colleges.

What’s most important is ensuring that student supports are appropriately implemented and that each of the employed leaders has the required skill set necessary to fulfill their new roles.

The students must be holding campus services accountable and making sure the existing resources don’t become less accessible to them through the oversaturation of restructuring or lack of promotion, whether that be on or off-campus. The fact is, most students are not exempt from paying the increased tuition fees and still have little say in what the superior administration will pursue.

Therefore, it is our responsibility to seek the services offered to the fullest extent and expect that the system change meets the goals the University promises to fulfill.

Consolidation Model

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Student Spotlight

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Alana Krahn INTERVIEW BY NANDINI CHANDRA DESIGNED BY QUINCY TRAN

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m in my fifth year. I have a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Business Law and Economics, which I’m very much enjoying, and I have a minor in sociology. I am an incredibly extroverted person, and I love to hang out with people in chat, collaborate and work in team environments, which, of course, is challenging because of the pandemic.

I would say that in terms of what I’m doing right now, I’m also the VP Operations and Finance for the Students’ Union, which has been a very uplifting, humbling, and unique experience. I have learned so much about working in large nonprofit organizations working in student advocacy and governance, and everything involved. Even back in the days of leading summer camps, right up until now, nonprofits have been my passion, and I’ve enjoyed it. I would say the work that nonprofits fill some of the massive gaps that we

see in service delivery and our society and our institutions, and basically, anywhere you go. So, that’s something that I’ve found that I’m very passionate about. I also love research. I began undergraduate research, and I think it’s a fantastic thing for people to get involved. I have had the opportunity to do several research projects. And I believe that staying curious and understanding that you know you have the power to go and make something out of your observations is something that I have found to be defining my experience.

We have a lot to learn about the corporate world and the for profit sector, and there’s so much good that can do. Understanding those market forces, the economy and how these things work under our current systems is essential. I love the service provision aspect, essentially what comes from nonprofit sectors, and it’s pretty fun.

Student Spotlight

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You said that you were in Business Law, so are you planning to go to law school?

Yes, I took my LSATs. It feels like 1000 years ago, but I just took them last summer. I am still figuring out what sort of areas specifically in law appeal to me, like whether I want to go into litigation and advocate for people in court or wish to go on a more administrative route. I’m still not entirely sure if it is a vast world that I would be walking into, but what I’ve learned is that you can learn things along the way as well. And it’s okay to make decisions as you’re learning something rather than trying to figure everything out before you get somewhere, so I’m just going to jump in, and that is my plan after I graduate.

What is the best course you have ever taken?

I mean, there are so many favourites. I would say that the most pivotal course for me in one aspect of my undergraduate career was probably Management Sciences 458, which was a graduate and undergraduate mixed seminar course that I took with Dr. Alice Nakamura. She was very influential in developing my curiosity for research and not only research but also data comprehension. I was terrified of the idea of having data in front of me and not knowing what to do.

Dr. Nakamura very quickly helped me equip with the tools like Excel and the bravery and a sense of understanding around how to comprehend data and how to approach research, and, you know, be fearless and be smart about it. So I would say that this was the most pivotal course I think I ever took.

What sort of research are you interested in?

I have researched a lot of interesting literature about how women fit into the economy and what it means for women to, for example, take maternity leave, and what happens to a woman’s earning potential when she takes maternity leave. I am also interested in the wage gap that is very much real and the policy implications. A favourite part of my research is the policy implications of programs that encourage women’s participation in the economy.

So yeah, women’s involvement in the economy is how I would summarize that.

What inspires you the most?

I would say I am inspired hugely by the women who have graduated from the Students’ Union

Executive in recent years. They have pioneered what it means to be an executive, and as far as I see it, how to be a student advocate and to implement your values in what you do, how to speak up for students’ concerns, and how to bring the student perspective to a table that may not welcome it. The alumni of the SU have been very inspiring to me, especially this year. When you approach politics as a woman, at least how it seems at the university at the student level, so many people try to brand you, so many people try to label you and put you into boxes. You have to show up in those spaces. Not only are you expected to perform to different or higher standards than your other colleagues, but you are also expected to declare who you are. Rejecting the one-size-fits-all image that people would ascribe to you is what I think makes them so brave, along with going up to provide that value, which is just so incredible. I love women and gender minorities getting involved in student governance because that was a key thing for me when I ran for VP Operations and Finance, and I’m so happy to see that continuing on.

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Lazy Chat

Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat Lazy chat

Jared Larsen

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I am a recent graduate, majoring in Business Economics and Law, with a minor in Marketing. I actively take part in many student governments, through residence associations and the Students' Union. I served as the President of the HUB Community Association (HCA), and most recently, before graduating, was the Vice President of Student Life at the Students' Union.

I was born and raised in British Columbia and transferred from the Okanagan Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to the University of Alberta in my third year. I grew up playing lots of sports: hockey, baseball, basketball, overall a very "outdoorsy" life. When I came to Edmonton, I immersed myself in campus life and found a purpose in community involvement outside of classes.

My years on campus were thriving outside of the classroom while learning inside. After graduating, I worked in public relations with a start-up project called "Project Snapshot", a mentor-based initiative that helped University students transition into online learning because of the pandemic.

In September, I landed a fulltime job, working for a marketing agency back in the Okanagan, BC, so I do a lot of marketing work for the tourism industry.

“ Finding a

greater sense of purpose ... help you grow so much as a person.

” Can you tell us a little more about your summer start-up project?

Many of us who graduated had jobs lined up, but because of the pandemic, we weren't too sure what to do. We started this project that turned into something pretty big! Originally we wanted one hundred students to sign up for our cohorts (fifty in each cohort). However, we ended up with three hundred students divided into seven cohorts, and today we are working with people from across Canada and the United States.

What's your favourite thing about your job now?

Currently, my favourite thing about my job is that I can control the brand voice for several of my clients. I do social community management for three different golf courses and two regional golf districts across BC. Right now, I'm controlling the brand voice for five communities, and it has been really exciting!

Designed by: Kim Tinana Interviewed by: Sara Assaf

Lazy Chat

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t t t t t t

How does this translate into the real workforce post-graduation?

Going into the workforce, within the agency itself, I'm by far the youngest employee, so I do feel that I have to prove myself a little bit. In the overall work environment, I'm still actively applying for jobs, trying to move to the coast or get into a more political career, so everything is highly competitive. Even entry-level positions are having people with Masters and Ph.D.'s apply. Because of the pandemic and current recession, a lot of overqualified people are seeking entry-level jobs.

As you wish to go into politics, do you feel your community involvement through the University has helped you take on leadership roles?

Yes, even going back to when I was the President of the HCA, we did a lot of work with public relations and media engagement.

I feel like that further inspired me to run for the VP position in the first place. You don't have to be a career tracked politician to be a Students’ Unions' executive, but it

helps. It helps if you're politically inclined because it teaches you a lot about how to think and how governments operate, both at the national and provincial levels. But yes, I found it beneficial to have that experience.

Was there anything in your business model that you had to adapt because of Covid-19? What's your game plan for the next year?

I was still the VP Student Life when the pandemic first hit. The credit/non-credit issue was one of the most significant issues by far that we dealt with. From there, we had to explore what the next year would look like, eventually having to cut half a million dollars from the budget. It was quite surreal to see the full breadth of the Students' Union's power when all of the students and staff came together. In terms of overall business models and how they operate, we had to make many decisions to reallocate funds from events and shift things around to provide the support students needed while they weren't on campus. Over the summer, I spent time volunteering for Snapshot through an online business model

that wouldn't have ever existed without Covid-19. In my current job, the model is unaffected, just because we're working digital marketing. Throughout my degree, I focused on public policy and how government policy affects businesses in Canada. As we advance, I want to acquire a master's degree, whether through public policy, public administration, or law school. I want to work in the political realm, where constituency work is closely tied with public policy, so having an understanding of that would give me an advantage.

Lastly, what is one thing you want business students or readers to know?

I would say that a student's time on campus would be fundamentally enhanced and impacted by community involvement, whether it be, joining a club for case competitions or merely involving yourself wherever you can. But finding a greater sense of purpose on campus, aside from going to class, writing your midterms and going home, will fundamentally change your years and help you grow so much as a person.

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Club’s Corner

Interviewed & Written by: Nandini Chandra Designed by: Vaneeza Asif

Business Exchange Association “Impact Change”

Our Purpose We provide support for both local and international students and assist anyone who wants to go on an exchange. We also have a travel award program, which includes funding for most of our students going on exchange. The club mainly assists students in the Alberta School of Business.

Advice to Prospective Students The most important thing is to keep in mind that there is no point in debating for too long. If you are interested, apply. An exchange program is more than just going to another university and taking a course. It is about travelling and immersing yourself in a new culture and meeting new people.

Club’s Corner

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Have you ever been on an exchange programme through the BEA? I was planning on going to one, but because of COVID-19, I couldn’t. However, I would like to visit South Korea.

Christine He, Co-President We have only had contact with one school in Japan, but don’t anymore because their curriculum does not match ours. I want to visit Japan, though Michael Jiang, Co-President

Popular Locations We offer forty destinations, and we can’t say where the most popular places are, but a lot of our students tend to go to Europe because their programs are shorter and fit in better with the schedule. Some exchange programs have breather courses where you can take a break, and another thing is that everything in Europe is quite close to each other so that you can go to another country within an hour.

We also had a high number of European students coming into the School of Business last year.

The Process There are two streams in our club: general executive members. The executive members have experience with the exchange program and are there to provide advice and assistance to those who are interested, the general members. We host many sessions every semester for students interested in an exchange where we have had guest speakers come in and talk about their experiences of travelling abroad and going on exchange programs. This year all our exchanges have been cancelled because of COVID-19. But we have a local buddy program where we match a local student with an exchange student, which also serves as a resource for students.

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Miscellaneous

Study Spots Libraries & Community Buildings Cameron Library is still open on North Campus and it has public computer access. The first floor, with the maximum occupancy of 15, requires you to book in advance and you can reserve slots as less as 30 minutes to as long as 4 hours!

North Campus also has a few hidden gems with good seating and loads of sunlight in CAB, Tory Lecture Theaters and ECHA. These spots are a great spot to study as they will be quiet and allow you to focus on the term work and get prepared for your finals. Check out which common areas and computer labs are open.

I sometimes find people around me good for keeping me accountable. If that’s your jam: SUB (Student Union Building) offers a lot of different forms of seating, food options, printing and other resources. This fall SUB is open Monday–Friday from 7 am–5:30 pm but it’s closed on weekends and stats.

While everyone’s out to find a spot that works for them, do not forget to think inside the box! Remember that Residence lounges are great places to complete assignments and watch online lectures with your friends, masked up and ready to go!

If you feel a little more adventurous, a few of the Edmonton Public Libraries are open! You will definitely need your face coverings in any of the indoor spaces per the City of Edmonton

Coffee Shops Transcend Coffeehouse is a wonderful space to collect your thoughts, bask in the sunlight on a good day and get right to the materials you need to excel in.

Although it is harder to find a spot there sometimes, it will take care of all your caffeine needs! Right across the street, you can also find the Remedy Cafe.

Contrasting to Transcend, Remedy offers a cosy feel to nest yourself for the finals. With different seating options, plethora of comfort food, teas and coffee, this is a spot to take your time and go over your flashcards.

There are a lot of cafes on Whyte Avenue and Jasper Ave, you can find some hidden gems on your search for your favourite study spot. Keep in mind that public spaces do have a lot of frequent visitors, so they can be more noisy but if that’s your jam, carry on!

by law, but EPL has granted in-person access to shelves, public

Written by: Parul Kanwar

computers, study rooms and much more.

Designed by: Vaneeza Asif

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