Macmedia frosh issue sept 2017 (final) copy 2

Ready to Rise?

Insert Coin to Start

Rise of the Wolfpack

September 2017

www.macmediamagazine.com 004c McLaughlin College, York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 416-736-2100 ext. 60555 Executives Editor in Chief.......... Vanessa Butera Web Manager.......... Vacant Editors News Editor............. Abdeali Saherwala Features Editor........ Noor Almutaa Humour Editor......... Alec Pichelli Arts Editor............... Doris Pozo Staff Writer............. Ugne Rakauskaite Copy Editor........... Azinwi Saningog Art and Design Designer................ Sam Noto

Page 3..... Letter from the Editor Page 4...... Mac Frosh Week Scheduel Page 6...... Letter from the President Page 8....... Letter from the O-Chairs Page 9........ Talk, We are here to Listen and Help Page 10........ Art of the Essay Page 11........ York’s Study guid 101 Page 12........ Oranges vs. Apples Page 14......... Who you were in High School doesn’t have to follow you to University Page 16.......... Eternal Student Twitter: @MacMediaMag Facebook: Macmedia Magazine

Hey Mac Werewolves!

Whether you’re a first year, returning student, faculty member, or even an alumni, you have the McLaughlin college spirit flickering inside of you, driving you to embrace every part of your unique journey. If you’re reading this, thank you for making MacMedia apart of your journey, even for a few minutes.

MacMedia is the official magazine for McLaughlin college. For the last 50 years, we have been churning out original content that reflects the humour, vibe, and values of this incredible college. The council and staff are more enthusiastic, passionate, and more vibrant than ever as we mark our 50th year. Mac isn’t going anywhere, and neither are we.

So keep reading as we introduce you to this year’s president and orientation chairs. Our editors also provide solid advice on our services and how to make the most of what York has to offer. And as a treat, we have added some personal touches that reflect on the differences between the high school and university experiences. Its exactly what you need to get excited for the upcoming year. You won’t want to miss it!

You are apart of the Mclaughlin Wolfpack. Now lets rise!

Sincerely, Vanessa Butera Editor in Chief

Macmedia is a proud member of The Canadian University Press, a national organization of Canadian student newspapers.

Macmedia is the official student monthly of Mclaughlin College but does not speak on behalf ot Mclaughlin College- unless specspecified by the Big Kahauna upstairs (in which case there’ll be a note). The opinions expressed herein are also not necessarily held by Macmedia or its staff (unless they’re really smart and dastardly written) but are a reflection of the current social outlook. Our goal is to act as an objective forum for constructive conceptual synthesis and intellectual thought- not as a community censor.

Therefore, our content is only as strong as your contribution. Every month we publish a wide variety of student-written news, opinions, art, poetry, humour, fiction, photography, and everything in-between. Please feel free to contact us for any reason, including publishing dates, advertising, world domination, iguana preservation, puddle-pants, the whereabouts of Godzilla, or any other “topics of interest.”

Please send all submissions and inquiries to macmedia.eic@gmail.com Macmedia 2

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Letter from the President Hello McLaughlin Wolves!

My name is Sajeth Paskaran and I am this year’s President of McLaughlin College. I am very excited to see the incoming students as well as the returning members of our community here at McLaughlin! I look forward to spending the upcoming year with all of you through our various opportunities of getting invovled among the college as well as York University as a whole!

Firstly, the Orientation Chairs, McLaughlin Council, the dedicated student leaders at Mac, and myself are thrilled to welcoming first year students into our community through one of the largest programming that the university has to offer... FROSH! Frosh week (also known as orientation week) us by far one of the optimal opportunities for incoming students to effectively transition and integrate into the university life here at York University while meeting other fellow first year students. We offer engaging programming such as mingles with upper year students, various events like karaoke and board games nights, some spectacular parties, as well as some off-campus events like a trip to Wasaga beach and a boat cruise!

If I were to pass along one tip for an engaging year for incoming and returning students, that would be to take advantage of the abundance of opportunities that the college and university has to offer! Whether that’s through running for a council position here at McLaughlin College Council or volunteering with our local student union, the York Federation of Students (YFS). Something very special about this upcoming year is that it is McLaughlin’s 50th anniversary! So you can be sure to experience some unprecedented programming and initiatives this year, and make sure to join us at our end of the year formal for our anniversary in March!

I wish you all a positive and successful year and hope to share many thrilling moments with everyone at McLaughlin!

Sincerely, Sajeth Paskaran

However, that is not the only thing McLaughlin has to offer. Our dynamic community hosts various engaging aspects that caters to a diverse spectrum of interests for our students. We have events throughout the year like our annual Montreal trip and coffee houses, as well as academic and professional programming from our Master’s Office who provide workshops and career panels. We also have significant members of our community like the numerous McLaughlin affiliated student organizations that caters to the public policy mandate and social justice interest of the college as well as our vital peer mentoring program that allows incoming students to get academic support from successful upper year students in their programs. Our intramural sports program is also quite renowned in Canada so make sure to partake in that since we essentially have every sport you can think of! Also, make sure to check out our very own magazine publications (shoutouts to Macmedia) and weight room facility (Dynamacs)!

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Talk... We are Here to Listen and Help

Source: We Heart it Abdeali Saherwala, News Editor

Letter from the O- Chairs

Hey Mac Wolves!

Are you #ReadyToRise this Frosh Week?!

As your Orientation Chairs, we are SUPER excited to meet all of you during #MACFROSH2K17! For those who don’t know, Frosh Week is a social orientation available to incoming York University students where you will have the opportunity to get to know your campus, program, fellow peers, and available resources! From September 2nd to September 10th, you will have the opportunity to attend amazing social events such as our annual Wasaga Trip and Mac Quad Party, as well as our awesome events like our Clubs Fair and the Glendon Carnival! We also have a few surprises up our sleeves during the week so you DEFINETLY do not want to miss out!

At McLaughlin, it’s our job to make sure that all of you incoming wolves have the best transition to York University! Our community has opportunities for everyone to get involved in their own way; whether you’re running for a position on McLaughlin College Council (MCC), you want to get involved in one of our affiliated clubs, or you’re interested in taking part in the numerous events held throughout the year.

Soon you’ll all be starting a brand new chapter in your lives. University life is a fresh start for a lot of students and is the perfect opportunity for everyone to explore new avenues, learn new things about themselves and also work on goals that they want to achieve! We hope that McLaughlin will be able to play a part in your university experience and we can’t wait to be able to see each and every one of you. Hopefully for a lot of you this experience starts at Frosh Week!

If you are interested in coming to Frosh Week and would like to purchase a kit, make sure to head to yustart. yorku.ca to buy yours for $140 before they’re all gone! Still have questions that need answering before you know if you want to buy a kit? Then make sure to email macfrosh@gmail.com and either one of us would be more than happy to help you out any way that we can!

We can’t wait to rise with all of you this September!

Much love, Mutaz Elhawash & Jordan Madeira Orientation Chairs

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In university, you will go through ups and downs because your workload might be crazy, balancing your personal/academic life is difficult and your social life might be in the dump.

Also, making friends in such a large classroom and campus is intimidating. If you feel down or depressed, then talk to someone because people are here to listen to you and help you. Do not be scared or feel ashamed to use these services provided at York because it is better to talk to someone than it is to let your negative emotions and vibes fester inside of you.

York has a diverse group of services for mental health and wellness., such as AppleTree Medical Centre - located at York Lanes, Centre for Human Rights Equity and Inclusion (CHREI) - 2070 Victor Phillip Dahdaleh Bldg, Learning Disability Services (LDS) –W128 Bennett Centre for Student, Learning Skills Services (LSS) - Scott Library Learning Commons Hub, Mental Health Disability Services (MHDS) - located at N110 Bennett Centre for Student Services, Personal Counselling Services (PCS) - N110 Bennett Centre for Student Services , Sexual Assault Survivors’ Support Line & Leadership (SASSL) - 4th Floor of the Student Centre, Room B449 and York University Psychology Clinic (YUPC) - Behavioral Sciences Building, Reception Room 104.

The Center for Human Rights receives and processes human rights concerns and complaints brought forward by York students, faculty, and staff.

Students with disabilities can register with Mental Health Disability Services. Their counsellors are assigned to students and remain their key contact throughout their academic career at York. They work with the student to help them navigate the academic and administrative scene of York University.

Learning Skills Specialists are available to assist students who want to find strategies to manage their time more effectively, stay on top of their studies, prevent problems later on in the term, and get the most out of their university experience.

Mental Health Disability Services (MHDS) is a unit within Disability Services and their role is to provide academic accommodations for students with documented mental health dis-

abilities. Their primary focus is to provide academic support to students such as provide letters to their professors, so their professors can accommodate them accordingly. But MHDS does not treat students with mental health disabilities.

An exceptionally important service is the Personal Counselling Services (PCS) because of it’s wide range of concerns including, but not limited to: depression, anxiety, abuse, stress, self-esteem, relationship issues, eating and body image as well as issues related to sexuality, short-term individual, couple, and group counselling, crisis intervention and consultations regarding students in distress/crisis and issues related to overall mental health. If you have any personal issues or mental health issues, please do not hesitate to go to Personal Counselling Services because they are there for you.

This service is free and confidential.

Another important service is Sexual Assault Survivors’ Support Line & Leadership (SASSL). SASSL provides non-judgmental peer support and referrals to survivors of sexual violence.

Finally, York University Psychology Clinic (YUPC) is a clinic that utilizes the latest knowledge on effective assessment and treatment to provide a range of mental health services, in order to keep students as healthy and productive as possible.

Please do not hesitate to ask anyone for mental health support, especially McLaughlin’s student council or any clubs associated with McLaughlin College. Additionally, do not feel scared, hesitant or embarrassed to use these services because they are here to support you through this difficult journey ahead of you.

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Source: We Heart it

The Art of The Essay Doris Pozo, Arts Editor

In my opinion, the art of writing an essay first starts with your mind and knowing where your thoughts come from. I will present to you some very common fallacies that can happen to anyone when they write an essay.

Fallacies that one may not be aware of because of our emotion, fear, tradition, popularity, sheer ignorance, and so forth… I have definitely committed all of these fallacies because my mind has been clouded and unbalanced.

The fallacies I present to you come directly from a book called – Writing Philosophy, a Guide for Canadian Students by Lewis Vaughn & Jillian Scott McIntosh (pg.106-107). This book is meant for philosophy students, and I think all students can benefit from this knowledge.

Appeal to Ignorance: Arguing either that (1) a claim is true because it hasn’t been proven false, or (2) a claim is false because it hasn’t been proven true.

Appeal to Popularity: Arguing that a claim must be true not because it is backed by good reasons, but simply because many people believe it.

Wow! Lots of room for error right?

Another thing I want to say about writing is that keeping your own voice – and not being a robot when you write, while knowing your audience is golden. I have been at York since 2010, and at this point I would like to think that I have mastered the art of essay writing, but I am far from mastering anything. The learning never stops.

False Dilemma: Arguing erroneously that since there are only two alternatives to choose from, and one of them is unacceptable, the other one must be true.

Begging the Question: Trying to prove a conclusion by using that very conclusion as a premise.

Hasty Generalization: Drawing a conclusion about a whole group or class of things based on an inadequate sample of the group.

Slippery Slope: Arguing that a claim Straw Man: The misrepresentation of a is true on the grounds that if it is not person’s view so he or she can be more accepted as true, someone will suffer, easily attacked or dismissed. or that it should be accepted as true because someone has suffered.

Ad Hominem (Appeal to the Person): Rejecting a statement on the grounds Appeal to fear: Arguing that a claim that it comes from a particular person, is true on the grounds that if it is not not because the statement or claim accepted as true, something really bad itself is false or dubious. will happen.

Appeal to Tradition: Arguing that merely because a claim is sanctioned by tradition, it must be true.

Genetic Fallacy: Arguing that a statement can be judged true or false its sources.

Equivocation: Assigning two different meanings to the same word in an argument.

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York’s Study Guide 101 Abdeali Saherwala, News Editor

It is difficult to know how to study throughout college because you have so many things to do. But I am here to provide you with some simple tips which can make you academic life more fulfilling. These tips are for everyone, especially first-year students who are new to university. Unlike high school, university is actually A LOT of hard work, no matter what major you are in. So here a few tips for our freshman and continuing students at York.

Do NOT PRTOCRASINATE: I know, your high school teachers have drilled this in you several times throughout your secondary education. But in university, not procrastinating and leaving your readings or assignments to the last minute can truly be a lifesaver.

Because if you procrastinate, you might not be able to read or learn all the material required. Also, if you procrastinate an assignment, then the quality of it will be SHITTY. EACH assignment, EACH test, EACH reading COUNTS Everything in university counts. Every assignment, test and reading is vital because unlike high school, you do not get that many assignments. If you do not do an assignment that is worth 5%, then you start your grade from a 95%. And trust me, EVERY percent counts towards passing or failing.

GET those EASY PARTICIPATION grades.

A lot of incoming and continuing students do not participate nor attend their lectures/tutorials because they feel that it is not necessary to attend all of them. But in a majority of social science courses, a good percentage of marks are given towards either attending your lectures or your tutorials and maybe even both. Especially, TAs in tutorials create an attendance sheet to see who comes to tutorial, so he/she can give you have had several classes, where 10-15% and even 20-25% of my grade was hinged on me coming to tutorials and/or lectures. These are easy grades, fellows. So do not miss out on them.

Take NOTES A lot of students do not take avid or frequent notes during lectures or tutorials. But it is important to get down as much information as possible on paper, so you can later revise it for exams. Even if your professor provides you with lecture slides (a MAJORITY of them DON’T), still take notes because I guarantee you, that A MAJORITY of them say WAY MORE than the brief pointers that are on their slides.

Be INTERACTIVE with your professor or TA If your professor or TA is asking questions or trying to engage the class in discussion, participate in them. Do not shy away, even if your answer is wrong. Show your professors or TAs that you care about the content of the course. Engaging with them in class is VITAL to have a good relationship with them. I try my best to have an excellent relationship with my TAs and Professors by engaging in their discussions or questions. I ask questionsin order to frequently interact with them throughout the course. Because of this, I have a good relationship with my professors or TAs when the course is

Source: We Heart It done. You never know when you are going to need good graces of your Profs or your TAs (current or ex).

If you DO NOT understand something, ASK. There are so many services for FREE that are available at York for students to use if they do not understand something.

Also, if your professor provides your class with office hours.

Then, USE them if you are having difficulty with the reading material or an upcoming assignment and exam. So many proffs or TAs offer office hours, but only a FEW students use them PERIODICALLY. A majority of the time, profs use their office hours to do some work because there is no one there to take benefit of their FREE counselling. Also, profs/ TAs know how busy our schedules are, so a MAJORITY of them will schedule you an office hour. Do not be scared to ask your profs or TAs, if they can schedule you in for office hours at a different time.

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Source: We Heart It

Oranges vs. Apples Noor Almutaa, Features Editor

Fear, anxiety, excitement, intimidation and unease for what the future holds; these are emotions that you might have come across after walking that high school graduation stage breathing a sigh of relief that you didn’t trip. Or even getting that corsage or boutonniere during prom and thinking, “wow this is what it feels like to be an adult”. The fear and excitement of the unknown wrestling your thoughts – spending your summer days shopping, watching college movies to prepare you for the ocean of changes coming your way – trying to catch the glimpse of the horizon to answer all your questions and as much as we hate to admit it, we all have those moments reading Buzz feed articles at 2 am and IMessaging that one family relative that attends university. You’ll even buy a collection of notebooks, binders, paperclips, and endless pencils, and I am sorry to break it to you but you don’t necessarily need all that for the next four years of your life.

Because university and high school have one thing in common and that is education, the basic concept of course, but they are both comprehensively different - like oranges and apples.

For the most part, university is a wake up call – it spells out freedom, stress, and a taste of independence. The bittersweet taste of what its like to be truly alone – some call it the sprouting of your independency stage while others call it a reality check. Get used to working independently because over here, the way you set your mind in university plays a role in how well you carry yourself and your career. Unlike the University stigma that is presented in a lot of Hollywood movie productions, which is unlimited access to parties and alcohol, university carries plenty of responsibilities – you may find yourself addicted to Redbull and Monster by the time you receive your degree. For the next 8 months you’ll call the student centre and library your new home away from home. This particular institution likes to play a dangerous game of contradiction – it can be fun yet stressful, free yet consumed, you can be independent yet seek dependence on others. How you manage your time plays a key role, unfortunately something they don’t prepare us for in high school. The way you carry your freedom determines the level of success you receive throughout the years – time management is crucial to your everyday survival. Waste my time 2017? No problem, you can make up for it when you cram everything in a failed attempt to pull an all nighter. Last but not least, this particular institution will guide you to your new family – friends and partners that will be in your life for as long as you can remember. Friends who will buy you food when you’re penniless and drive you home after a long day of doing absolutely nothing – you’ll even make friends with the people you meet in a bathroom of a frat house party. Its not just about getting a degree, its about the person you are before you get versus the person you have built to achieve a well deserved degree.

High school however, describes those four alarm clocks you set up for 8 AM just to make it on time for the national anthem – annoying and frustrating. Socially, in high school knowing everyone can be slightly problematic – your business becomes a public service announcement. All subjects that you take are essential with mandatory attendance. Unlike university, different types of people who – geographically come from different places are surrounded, creating a drama free and a more diverse community. Getting average in high school is considered an acceptable effort, however in university well average is the bare (strong emphasis on bare) minimum. I’ve spent most of my high school years drowning in chocolate milk and packing nothing but my headphones and a pencil incase I had a math test I forgot about. Most people say high school was lonely and disastrous, others say it was eventful – I say high schools are four years I’m still struggling to remember. York (surprisingly) has taught me how to be a better version of myself – besides the basic education skills – I only learned how to manage my time after I cancelled my Netflix. Don’t be afraid to change yourself or your program. You’re already experiencing that, you might Macmedia 12 as well add the cherry on top.

Who you were in High School doesn’t have to follow you to University

Vanessa Butera, Editor-in-Chief

Regrets associated with the high school years are not uncommon. But I am here to tell you that who you were in high school does not have to follow you to university. While you can’t change anything about your high school experience, you have no obligation to be the same person by any means. The university years are pivotal, and you have the power to live on your own terms. As everyone goes their separate ways, your peers and even friends may associate you with the decisions you made.

In time, you’ll see that you don’t have to make any future decisions based on who you said you were in high school. I promise you that your mistakes, no matter how embarrassing, will lead you to exactly where you need to be. Your past may be an inevitable anchor, but you do not have to live within its chains. High school may have been a time of constantly being “thrown to wolves”, but now you must rise, and lead the pack!

So, high school wasn’t my favourite experience. It was an uncomfortable, awkward blip in my timeline full of overwhelming pressures. I am not entirely proud of the decisions I made or even the person I used to be. Any reminders of certain cringe-worthy mistakes are downright painful. When I entered university, I created a life that was completely separate from my high school life. This may sound obvious, but I was determined to shred any reminder of high school. When graduation rolled around, I didn’t even buy a yearbook because I was so desperate to forget my high school experience. The silver lining that came from this attitude, is that I used the shame of my past to drive me to really evolve from it. I suffered from intense social anxiety in high school, and when I got to university, I realized I didn’t want to live that way anymore. So I took initiative and began seeing a counselor on campus. I also began to face my social anxiety by putting myself in situations that made me uncomfortable, where I would be seen and heard. As expected, my habits, beliefs, and lifestyle changed tremendously over the last 4 years. However, I recently reconnected with an old friend who stopped talking to me when we started our post-secondary endeavours. It was evident that she was happy to see that I have grown a lot from the past and that I’ve been successful, but as our conversations delved more into the irrelevant details of the past, it occurred to me that she could not remove the person standing before her in the present from the young girl she knew in high school. Like “Wow, Vanessa! You have grown up so much! I’m so happy for you... but you were so weird in high school”. Some people just can’t grasp the fact that things change over the course of four years!

Source: We Heart It Macmedia 14

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Eternal Student Vanessa Butera, Editor-in-Chief

Source: We Heart It

You dance with death Between fire and earth Hanging on every edge Through poetry you pledge And I, close behind Hang on every line You move with the mountain view Renew with each phase of the moon An ever changing voice thirsty for words The beauty of your soul transcends all form In the rapture you thrive Against the illusion of time You find greening in concrete You are always reading me Body open, you meditate On the serenity of your fate Every word escaping lips is true As I translate you

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Grounded in the never-ending search Absorbing art that resides in the earth Stark in the calm before your storm Eternal student evermore As rain turns to rust I watch you decode dust