September 28, 2023

Campus bike program a success one year after reopening

BikeHub is hitting its stride, says supervisor and volunteers

UVic’s BikeHub is attracting more students than ever after a two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19.

Peter Konczarek has been the BikeHub supervisor for one year, since its reopening under the direction of UVic campus security in the fall of 2022. BikeHub is a space for the UVic community to loan bikes and access cycling services, like storage and repairs.

In an interview with the Martlet, Konczarek said he enjoyed his first year. “It went really well. The UVic community was very welcoming. Everyone who’s come through here has been super polite and very appreciative of the program.”

In its first weeks of opening, the BikeHub was slow to attract users. However, the initial lull “was pretty much a godsend,” said Konczarek. That’s because Peter and his volunteers were “still going through all the bikes that had been sitting [there] for two years.” They needed to be checked before being loaned out to the UVic community, he said.

After word spread that the BikeHub was back in action, more people started to use the service. They loaned out around 150 bikes last year, and another 100 students and staff accessed services like tune-ups and repairs,

explained Konczarek.

“Every day people are coming in for services … more people are finding out about it,” said Konczarek, who added that there are already 100 people on the waitlist to loan bikes right now.

Will Rondow started volunteering with the BikeHub in 2003 when it was still called SPOKES. During the pandemic, he worked on the bikes so that they would be serviceable for reopening.

He feels that the BikeHub is a great place to get started with cycling in Victoria. “A lot of the people that use the program are [living] in residence. They’re new to town, so it’s a great way to explore the city and get out there.”

Rondow also added that he’s happy that campus security took over the facility. “The program is better supported now,” he said. “For instance, if we need parts, if we need stuff, campus security is very quick to send someone to get our supplies.”

The space has also been made more comfortable for Konczarek and the volunteers. Better insulation and ventilation were installed in the spring of 2023, said Konczarek. “Last year it was like a sauna in here. This summer it was pretty manageable.”

Konczarek encourages students interested in cycling to come to the BikeHub for information about loans, to get a tune-up, or if they have any questions. The space is located

underneath the Jamie Cassels Centre, with its doors facing the pathway near Cornett and David Strong. It is open to members of the UVic community from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Monday to Friday.

“So many UVic students are passionate about biking and have that [interest] already,” said David Evans, another BikeHub volunteer. “It’s just another great resource for them to tap into.”

Evans is in his second year of a master’s program in civil engineering, and he’s been volunteering at the BikeHub for four months. “I enjoy tinkering with bikes, so I just showed up and kept coming back,” he said.

“I think [biking] is such a great way to commute, especially in the city of Victoria. My recommendation is to be open and ready to try it,” said Evans when asked for advice to new cyclists.

Ruite Qiang is an engineering graduate student who is currently loaning a bike from the BikeHub. Qiang met Evans while studying, and Evans encouraged him to try biking in Victoria. He’s since loaned two bikes from the program, and has had some parts replaced with no charge.

“I’m telling my friends — if you need a bike, you can just go to BikeHub,” said Qiang.

For anyone needing an extra push to start their cycling journey, Go by Bike Week is set to start soon. It’s a province-wide initiative, but is organized at UVic by campus planning

and sustainability. It will be taking place from Oct. 16–29. UVic’s Celebration Station — a central place for bikers to gather and enter to win prizes — will be located at Petch Fountain on

The government has tabled Petition e-4268

Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 9–11 a.m. For more information and to register a team, students and staff can visit gobybikebc.ca.

Here’s what MP Mike Morrice has to say about the ‘disappointing’ response

SYDNEY LOBE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

On Aug. 16, almost three months after Petition e-4268’s presentation, the Canadian government released their long-awaited response.

Petition e-4268 called on the federal government to extend the right to claim asylum in Canada to transgender and nonbinary folks around the world experiencing discrimination on the basis of their identities.

In March of this year, parliamentarian Mike Morrice sat down with the Martlet to discuss Petition e-4268, for which he was the supporting Member of Parliament. At the time, he was preparing to present the petition to the House of

Commons at his earliest opportunity, which came on May 29.

The petition had a historic 160 000 signatures at its time of presentation.

Activist Cait Glasson, the petition’s organizer, said that the petition sought to provide folks from the United States access to refuge in Canada while trans eliminationist laws run rampant.

Glasson explained that as it stands, this opportunity is slim because of the Safe Third Country (STC) agreement, which designates the States as a nation that “respect[s] human rights and offer[s] a high degree of protection to asylum seekers,” meaning that residents of the U.S., in most cases, cannot make an asylum claim to Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).

The federal response from August

details the Canadian government’s existing immigration policy, and explains their partnership with Rainbow Road (an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ asylum-seekers), but does not promise any legislative change.

In a recent interview with the Martlet, Morrice said, “I’m disappointed with the response, and that it doesn’t seem to recognize that more needs to be done for trans and nonbinary folks from other countries, in particular the U.S. ”

The coveted but rare success of asylum seekers is the issue at the heart of both Morrice’s disappointment and the original work of the petition.

The government’s response emphasizes the existing right for any person to claim asylum in Canada, so long as the individual has a “wellfounded fear of persecution or is at risk

of torture, or cruel or unusual punishment” and is “not able to access protection from their country of origin.” However, it does not address Morrice’s central concern — the slim likelihood of a claimant actually being granted asylum.

“It's possible to claim asylum, but it is extremely unlikely that a person is successful in doing so,” says Morrice.

“What's the point of a right if it's almost impossible to claim that right?”

Although the government’s response to the petition did not acknowledge the STC agreement, according to Morrice it is more crucial that the government did not attempt to change any of the IRB’s guidelines when it comes to evaluating claims from trans or nonbinary American asylum seekers.

Morrice says that he and Glasson wanted to see a shift in the IRB from a “presumptive no” to a “presumptive maybe” to increase the likelihood that trans and nonbinary individuals might be granted asylum.

“The continued approach from the Government of Canada [is] to have an extremely unlikely scenario where grounds for asylum would be granted

… to a trans community member,” Morrice explains.

All the while, the United States becomes an increasingly dangerous, hostile, and threatening place for transgender and nonbinary folks to call home, says Morrice, emphasizing the need for “more advocacy.”

Morrice says that he and Glasson are still collaborating to further the work of the campaign, but are now extending their concern to Canadian folks targeted by emerging anti-trans rhetoric or legislation.

While Morrice was disappointed by the Canadian government’s response to his and Glasson’s petition, those involved in the plight of Petition e-4268 are not ready to back down. More on the status of the petition soon.

Photo by Sage Blackwell

Photo by Raymond Wong via Unsplash.

Off with the head (of state): The complex path to abolishing the monarchy in Canada

SARAH ROBERTS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

King Charles III's coronation on May 6 was marked by his dedication to the commonwealth nations, with Canada being a part of this union. However, the popularity of the Royal Family in Canada is dwindling, with one recent IPSOS poll indicating that over half of Canadians are at least somewhat in favour of severing Canada’s ties to the monarchy entirely. This raises the question: why does Canada maintain its relationship with the Royals?

As a British citizen, I find Canada’s continuation of the constitutional monarchy even more perplexing. In

the United Kingdom, the Royal Family holds historical significance for our national identity.

Yet, even in my homeland, support for the monarchy is conflicted, especially among younger people. A YouGov survey released earlier this month revealed that 40 per cent of 18–24 year olds said that they would prefer an elected head of state. In Canada, the trend is even more pronounced; 57 per cent of those under age 35 agreed that Canada should cut its formal ties with the Crown, spelling out a precarious future for the constitutional monarchy.

Perhaps these figures come as no surprise, given the profound and

harmful legacy of colonialism and slavery linked to the monarchy. For advocates of decolonization, maintaining the monarchy perpetuates the legacies of violence and injustice.

When Queen Elizabeth passed away, Terry Teegee, regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First, commented on the ongoing difficulties between Indigenous peoples and the Royals in an interview with CTV. “We all know what had happened over the last 100 years with the residential school policy, also really genocidal policies such as the Indian Act and placing us on reserves and taking us off our lands,” said Teegee. The ongoing trauma of these events causes pain and anger for many.

Supporters of a republic may point to other commonwealth nations that have rid themselves of the Royals. Barbados is the most recent example, declaring full independence in November 2021. Following this, during a swearing-in for the new president, Sandra Mason, King Charles spoke of the “darkest days of our past and the appalling atrocity of slavery” that the island suffered.

The Caribbean nation’s decision to leave the commonwealth severs their ties with colonialism and the enslavement of millions at the hands of the British empire, allowing them to move beyond this painful history. Given Canada’s own past of colonization, one may wonder why we continue to pledge allegiance to a foreign monarch.

It’s worth noting that removing the monarch as the head of state could be far more complex for Canada than for some other commonwealth realms.

As a nation comprising 10 provinces and three territories, the Canada of today is a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles III serving as head of state. The 1867 Constitution Act is a hugely important document which outlines the distribution of power in federal and provincial governments, establishing parliament.

To alter this foundational act would require unanimous agreement from all provinces and territories, the House of Commons, and the Senate.

Some warn that changing the constitution could lead to extreme disorder and confusion, conjuring fear from provincial governments that they might have to surrender powers over to the federal government.

In addition, there are some Indigenous people who favour maintaining or rebuilding Canada’s ambivalent relationship with the monarchy. Though this requires accountability for the harms done.

Sara Mainville, an Anishinaabe lawyer, said in 2022 that King Charles III “has a very important and special place in reconciliation.” Mainville highlighted that the treaties signed by Indigenous peoples in the century were not with the government, but with the Crown.

In a statement to the Guardian last year, Mainville said that the treaties represented a statement of trust that both nations could live side-by-side

and breaking them could be “traumatic.”

Then there's the question of who or what would replace the monarchy. Electing a president, as in the United States, puts faith in the people to choose their own democratic leader. Retaining a system of checks and balances is crucial to prevent unbidden power from a single elected official.

The current system in Canada requires the appointment of a Governor General, who represents the monarch in Canada and serves as a non-partisan voice that keeps parliamentary leaders accountable. The current Governor General, Inuk leader Mary Simon, is the 30th person to hold this role, and the first Indigenous individual to do so.

Though the role is largely ceremonial, the Governor General retains the power to dissolve parliament, and is (in theory) holding the Prime Minister to account for their actions. Keeping this position is a safeguard for our democracy.

If we behead the nation and sever Canada's ties with the monarchy, we need a better alternative that accommodates the needs of all provinces and territories. Maybe this includes a democratically elected head of state who represents all Canadians.

Is this just a pipe dream? Perhaps, but it's one that deserves some royal consideration.

Concerts have changed and I’m allowed to not like it

revive the

MELODY POWERS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

I used to be an avid concert goer before the pandemic. But ever since live music has made a comeback, I have noticed a shift in the overall concert experience.

In my early 20s, I was lucky enough to go to a different concert every month from 2018–2019. I’ve experienced everything from a packed Rogers arena for Childish Gambino in 2018, to Mahalia in a small bar in 2019.

Since the pandemic rules have lifted, I’ve seen Lorde in Toronto and, more recently, I was lucky enough to go to the Eras Tour in Seattle. Even though I enjoyed my time at these concerts, I noticed incidents that I hadn’t before.

In Toronto, I saw people talking on Facetime directly in front of my eyeline. At Taylor Swift’s show, I saw people taken away on stretchers before the second opener even went on stage and later, videos of drunk people falling on strangers went viral.

According to the Guardian, “bad behaviour at concerts has become the new norm,” after musicians have been hit by items thrown by fans.

In London, someone threw their mother’s ashes at P!NK, Harry Styles was hit in the eye by a rogue Skittle, and more seriously, Bebe Rexha had to get stitches after she was hit in the eye by an iPhone.

This bad behaviour is said to be linked to social media. Fans want to interact with their favourite artist for a chance to go viral, or for the artist

to finally notice them.

On top of this worrying fan behaviour, people are also passing out at concerts. “Want Want”

musician Maggie Rogers used TikTok to urge her fans to drink water and take care of themselves after she noticed concert-goers passing out and having panic attacks at her shows.

Rogers isn’t the only artist this has happened to. Another TikTok went viral earlier this year from the Sabrina Carpenter concert in Calgary. During the concert, the singer stopped her show three times to check on fans who had passed out.

It is important for artists to make sure their fans are okay, especially in the wake of the Astroworld tragedy where 10 people were killed after a crowd surge. But it’s also the audience's job to take care of themselves and others, particularly now that prices have skyrocketed.

Prices and demands for tickets have tripled since the 90s, and it has only gotten worse with Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing.

Dynamic pricing is when the prices fluctuate based on demand for the show. The idea was to prevent fans from buying fake tickets and giving

the extra profit to Ticketmaster and the artists. But this has backfired for the fans.

Ticketmaster can use dynamic pricing to increase ticket prices when the number of tickets decrease, meaning some fans might find a ticket for $500 but as soon as they get to checkout it can increase to even $700.

Even though the introduction of dynamic pricing was supposed to help the fans, Ticketmaster has profited $16.7 billion since last quarter, which is up 44 per cent since 2019.

For Olivia Rodigro’s GUTS tour, fans claimed ticket prices were ranging from $130–$800 for nosebleeds, even though LiveNation stated that prices were ranging from around $50–$200. Also with Ticketmasters "Verified Fans", it’s becoming even more selective for getting tickets. Verified Fans were supposed to give fans a better chance at getting tickets, but it makes it harder for fans to even get a chance to get face value tickets. For some shows — such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto — it’s almost impossible to buy a ticket even if you can afford one. The odds of getting a ticket were one in 400, as 31 million people registered for presales for her six Toronto shows. Concerts are an important part of our society, as they offer community and even reduce stress. However, they have been increasingly inaccessible to the average person. And, if you’re lucky enough to even get a ticket, there’s a chance of your experience being ruined by a rowdy concert-goer. There needs to be a change, or at least a return to prepandemic concert culture.

One year after the Queen's passing, the monarchy in Canada is less popular than ever, but what does it mean to become a republic?

Between rising prices and bad behaviour, we need to

dying concert experience

King Charles (then Prince of Wales) visits Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2014. Photo by Korona Lacasse (via Wikimedia Commons)

Photo by SplitShire via pixabay.

Dr. Sanghara’s ‘A New Day’ poem for the UVic community

My Dad, Dr. Harbindar (Harb) Sanghara, loved teaching students and looked forward to each new school year.

This September would have marked his 43-year affiliation with UVic as a student (BEd, BA, PhD) and then as faculty.

In his memory, I share my Dad’s poem, "A New Day," to celebrate his creativity, dedication, and uplifting spirit with the UVic community.

“There is a place

Where the wind touches the human heart beating, Speaking of the things that move us most—Touch us

Innermost in human voices, the living drums, Making the difference between life and death

Agonizingly acute…

There is an oak in the place we’ve been together

Its leaves stand, ribboned in dark green, fleeting gold, and burnt almond.

One falls, the others rustle gently in autumn:

A zephyr sings beneath the spreading branches

That trace the space of our lives. The branches change colour with the fading light. Symphony, silence, slow time

Such are the rhythms of the heart

And the places of the mind. Treasures are moments that are shared, And without one heart on the earth

The beat is in the stars…”

- Anneliese Sanghara

VIRAGO NATION

Extraordinary Vancouver-based burleque troupe ignites the stage with fierce and empowering performances.

OCT 21 7:00 PM

GREASE

A Treaty 6 Indigenous twist on the classic musical. Bear Grease combines hip-hop, parody, improv and freestyle to offer a new perspective. Fun for the whole family!

OCT 28

17

PM

DIYET & THE LOVE SOLDIERS

A musical journey that combines Indigenous sounds with contemporary influences. A unique and unforgettable experience. 7:00

PM

SATURDAY

MAR 9

ORCASat: How UVic students took an idea from campus to space

At 3 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2022 Levente Buzás counted down the seconds until ORCASat would be released into space from the International Space Station. Buzás and the other members of the University of Victoria's Satellite Design Club were gathered around a screen in the engineering building where they waited, with smiles that couldn’t be held back, for a major milestone after five years of work — the moment when the satellite that they had designed and built would be sent into orbit over a thousand kilometers above the Earth.

Around two hundred UVic students have contributed to the ORCASat project through the UVic Satellite Design Club (UVSD), along with a handful from UBC and SFU. Because the project was run almost entirely by volunteers, who are mostly undergraduate engineering students with full-time course loads, there were only about ten students actively involved at a time.

For UVSD members like Levente Buzás, who recently completed his masters at UVic in electrical engineering and has been a part of the UVSD since his undergraduate days, the project has been a rewarding experience.

“I've been interested in radio communication ever since I've been very young,” said Buzás. “Having been able to do all aspects of the project, like building the hardware, licensing the hardware, testing the hardware … climbing the towers to put up the antennas … gives me an unparalleled insight and background in the field.”

The ORCASat project started in 2018, when UVic’s Dr. Justin Albert and Dr. Afzal Suleman from the physics and engineering departments were experimenting with putting a laser in a weather balloon with the intention of studying how light moves through parts of our atmosphere. Their project was named ALTAIR, an acronym for Airborne Laser for Telescopic Atmospheric Interference Reduction, and the idea was that the laser would act as an artificial star, generating data that could be used to help calibrate earth-bound telescopes to correct for atmospheric distortions, allowing scientists to calculate with certainty the light emitted by astronomical objects. After multiple attempts, Suleman and Albert realized that they wouldn’t be able to get the weather balloon high enough, so they decided to try launching the technology in a satellite. They would call it ORCASat, short for Optical Reference Calibration Satellite and a gentle nod to Vancouver Island’s famous sea life.

This idea formed around the time the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was accepting applications for the Canadian CubeSat Project (CCP). The CCP awards grants to universities to design and launch a CubeSat, which is a miniature satellite. Suleman submitted an application and handed the reins over to the UVic Satellite Design Club.

Professors Suleman and Albert stayed on as “project investigators,” helping out when the club was stuck on a difficult problem as well as dealing with finances and the inevitable politics of universities and space agencies. For the most part, though, this project was student led and run.

The UVSD had already gained traction back in 2008, when they won the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge with plans to build a different CubeSat, which they called EcoSat.The finances for this project, which the club had to generate on their own, fizzled out before the team could get close to a launch, unlike with ORCASat. But the experience gained by the participants was invaluable.

The main goal of the UVSD and the CCP is not to send satellites to space, but to train future space tech workers, deemed “highly qualified personnel” by space agencies. This has been successful many times over. The UVic student who led the EcoSat project, for example, went on to be the head of terrestrial space suit testing at the German Space Agency.

With a whole new team of students, the UVSD strove to take ORCASat all the way. This time around, the CSA guaranteed them a launch plus $200 000 in funding. With this money, the UVSD team could start putting thoughts into action.

“It's one of those things where you're super glad that you have done it,” said Buzás. “But would you do it again from the beginning? That's a different story.” Researching, designing, and building not just a satellite, but all of the facilities, is no easy task.

They started by building new tables around the periphery of their club room, which is a small square room in the Engineering Lab Wing with blank walls and no windows. The tables are lined with boxes of materials to learn and practice with, such as circuit boards and books titled Linear Algebra and Astrophysical Concepts. One wall is

covered by a whiteboard which is jotted with ideas from group brainstorming sessions. Under the whiteboard sits a small green couch, which members agree should have been thrown out a long time ago, but its comfort continues to save it from the dump. The room also features three second-hand mini fridges, which once held satellite-related materials but have now been taken over by snacks.

In the basement, next to the existing Centre for Aerospace Research, they built a cleanroom, which is where the most delicate parts of the satellite design and building process would take place. No one can enter this room without a hair net, face mask, shoe covers, and a gown, and any object that enters the room must be vacuumed for dust. The room is equipped with shelves of tools and electronics. Underneath the shelves sits a desk spanning the length of the wall. On the desk sits two ocean blue mats which eliminate dust, as well as a large microscope, a 3D printer, and a small oven bearing a striking resemblance to an Easy-Bake Oven, which works to fuse materials together. Lastly, the cleanroom has a laminar flow hood, which is the size of a large moving box but has clear walls and serves as an even cleaner space in an already clean room by running a constant flow of air over an object, keeping it sterile and dust-free.

On the top floor of the building is the ORCASat ground control station, the Radio Propagation Lab. Buzás was the manager of the lab while he worked on ORCASat as one of only two students who were part of the team

since its start in 2018. UVic’s radio lab is thought to be the most advanced of any Canadian university and, like the club room and cleanroom, it was built mostly by students — from the tables to the computers to the radios. Even the fifty-foot antenna that stands on the lab’s balcony was restored and wired by students.

Club members estimate that they spent about a year researching. Albert and Suleman’s existing research from their weather balloon experiment was helpful, butputting this technology in a CubeSat, is the size of a tissue box, required extensive trial and error. The development phase took about two years and included planning out the technical details of the satellite, which meant prototyping various systems and making decisions on key components, such as what batteries the satellite would use and how much power it would draw. They then presented these findings in a preliminary design review to the CSA, which allowed experts to tell them what they were doing right and, more importantly, what they were doing wrong. This led to what UVSD member and fourth-year electrical engineering student Biarki Weeks, who brings just as much life to a room as he does intelligence, called “ferocious thumb twiddling.” After almost two years of problem solving and progress after the preliminary design review, the group presented the CSA with a critical design review. This was similar to the preliminary design review, but much more in depth.

A five-year project to design and build a unique satellite is just the start for UVic’s Satellite Design Club

HANNAH SEATON VOLUNTEER STAFF EDITOR

Illustration by Chloe Latour.

To save money, the club sourced many of their materials locally. The metal, for example, came from a local metal supermarket. Students also found local companies to help them with work they couldn’t do themselves, like intricate machining jobs.

“You basically take a box of donuts … and you show up to the machining shop with a flyer about the satellite and you say, ‘Hey guys, so we got this thing. What can you do for us?’ And then we hope that they will do something,” said Weeks.

ORCASat to the International Space Station.

When the UVSD won their grant from the Canadian Space Agency, they were also guaranteed room for ORCASat onboard a flight to space, which would be organized and paid for by the CSA. The CSA works with NanoRacks, which subcontracts room onboard rocket ships owned by large agencies like NASA and SpaceX. To fulfill this promise, the CSA bought space onboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket ship, which costs around $100 000 for cargo the size of ORCASat. By

radio side of operations, flew down to the Kennedy Space Centre to watch the rocket carrying ORCASat launch. While there, the pair toured the space station and had the chance to meet and network with NASA and NanoRacks personnel.

Although the pair tried to give themselves some margin in case of delays, their trip came to an end before the rocket ship carrying their satellite took off since the launch was delayed due to weather.

“We couldn’t really justify staying any longer because, at the end of the day, they don’t give you any certainty, they give you a percentage. After that, it’s for you to decide whether the extra X dollars of expenditure is worth that much certainty. It’s a pretty frustrating business,” said Buzás. Despite this, Buzás still feels grateful for the experience, stating that “the launch would have just been icing on the cake.”

“It was just go, go, go, go, go,” said Weeks. “We were basically working from dawn till dusk. Sometimes even after dusk.”

By the time the antennas were fixed, rewired, and mounted, there were only two weeks until ORCASat was scheduled to deploy from the ISS.

ORCASat was deployed at 3 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2022 by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata. The live-streamed deployment, which UVSD members watched on a screen in the engineering building, was followed by a rush upstairs to the radio lab, where the students attempted to contact the satellite when it passed over Victoria for the first time, forty-five minutes after its deployment. Traveling around 7.5 km per second, ORCASat passed over Victoria five times a day and was within range of communication for five minutes each time.

lab’s remote servers. During the few minutes that this task takes, the song “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers Band played from Ellison’s speaker. Just as the satellite was about to leave the zone of communication, Ellison was able to send it a command and collect the most important data from the pass. He then placed the data into a Google Doc, where other students would dissect the long lines of numbers and letters into useful information for Albert’s research on the expansion of the universe and dark energy.

“We’re not in the business of doing hard science,” said Buzás later, speaking of the UVSD team of engineers.

“That’s something we’re woefully unqualified to research,” laughed Weeks.

Throughout the design and building process, the club had been testing each electronic subsystem, such as the battery and power system, on a unit level by using various software tools. The next step was to test the satellite out as a system. To do so, the club members built what’s called a FlatSat, which involves laying out and connecting all of the various electrical components of the satellite on a table in the cleanroom to make sure that everything runs smoothly. Condensing all of the pieces together to turn the FlatSat into ORCASat would be one of their last steps.

The students also had to make sure that they would be able to communicate with the satellite once it was in space, thus the importance of the radio lab. In order to make sure that the radio system they had built for ORCASat would work, they took their radio and a small antenna to Victoria’s Pkols and the relevant parts of ORCASat to Pkaals and sent a message from one mountain to the other. This test wouldn’t ensure that they would be able to communicate with the satellite once it’s deployed into orbit, but it would ensure that their system was actually working. To mimic the increased distance, they would later add attenuation, which changes the amplitude of the signal between the radio and satellite. Both of these tests proved successful, but they wouldn’t know for certain until the moment came to attempt first contact with ORCASat in space.

Another important step was ensuring that the satellite would survive the rocky flight to the International Space Station (ISS). To mimic the harsh vibrations that a rocket ship experiences during take-off, the team sent ORCASat to Ottawa, where it underwent launch simulation tests at the National Research Centre of Canada. Here, ORCASat was strapped to a shaker

the end of the project, considering all expenses, around $1 million was spent on ORCASat. The additional funding, not from the CSA’s $200 000 grant or $100 000 payment for the flight to space, came from local companies, and the federal government’s Economic Diversification Program.

In June of 2022, after reorganizing the FlatSat to form ORCASat, the satellite was transported to the Kennedy Space Centre. Alex Doknjas, who was the project manager of ORCASat and an undergraduate student in electrical engineering, flew on a commercial plane from Victoria to Montreal with the satellite in his hand luggage, surrounded by soft pieces of foam. Once in Montreal, Alex went to the CSA headquarters where the satellite was handed over in a cleanroom and then placed in the NanoRacks deployer that would deploy the satellite from an arm attached to the ISS. The deployer, Buzás explained, is a spring-loaded canister just big enough to slide the satellite inside. Once in space, the satellite gets sprung out like a jack-in-the-box.

From Montreal, the CSA transported the satellite down to the Nanoracks headquarters in Houston, Texas. NanoRacks was then responsible for figuring out when NASA needed the satellite and delivering it on time, along with the required paperwork that Doknjas had delivered to the CSA when he dropped off ORCASat.

From Montreal to the Falcon 9 rocket ship at the Kennedy Space Centre, the satellite’s location was “a black hole,” said Buzás. “If you say that, ‘okay, next time when you have extra space take this along,’ … it becomes way cheaper.” Instead of spending millions of dollars to solidify a specific and timely transportation plan, the team asked the CSA and NanoRacks to transport the satellite on their clock.

On Nov. 26, a few days after the pair left, ORCASat blasted into space towards the ISS on board the Falcon 9.

As ORCASat approached Victoria, the balcony’s antennas spun to find it. Students eagerly gathered around the radio lab’s four computer screens, watching as one of the students sent a message to the satellite for the first

What the team hoped to accomplish is proof of concept. The ORCASat mission could be performed on a bigger scale by a space agency that has access to millions of dollars. That’s the benefit of CubeSat missions in general, other than the main goal of training Canada’s next generation of

table and violently shaken in all directions. Thankfully, the satellite survived in perfect condition. Other than confirming that the satellite would fit in the CubeSat Deployer, this was the sole test required by the launch provider, NanoRacks, in order to fly

Once the team got word of a launch date, Nov. 22, 2022, anticipation grew as the reality of their accomplishment began to set in. Two of the team members, Doknjas, who had transported the satellite to Montreal, and Buzás, who had been running the

Even at this point, the UVSD team was still working on the project, racing to complete the work left in the radio lab. The ground station’s two antennas, essential components for contacting the satellite, had been donated by a UVic professor who had been using them for his own research for the past 30 years. This long-term exposure to the elements left parts degraded and damaged. The students took it upon themselves to repair the antennas by hand.

“It had also just decided to snow, it was -10, -15 °C and I was up on the tower trying to wire [everything],” said Buzás. “We weren’t really concerned with what was going on on the ISS at

time. Almost instantly, the computer screen pinged with a reply from ORCASat. The room filled with cheers, laughs, and claps as the team rejoiced. This was the moment that they had worked towards for almost five years. The night ended with a champagne toast on the radio lab’s balcony, under the stars and the towering antennas.

“To ORCASat,” the team said in unison, as they clinked their glasses.

The successful contact between the radio lab and ORCASat marked the start of the next phase of the mission. Once the satellite was deployed, it began supplying data, which was collected and analyzed. The team appointed an undergraduate co-op student from engineering, Ty Ellison, who worked as the second paid team member, along with Buzás, to communicate with the satellite as it passed overhead.

Ellison accessed the system’s software remotely, which allowed him to work from home and take naps in between night time passes. His homemade computer sat on a desk in his living room next to a large screen where he simultaneously watched a livestream of the radio lab’s antennas, ORCASat’s location on a world map, his Google Doc of tasks for the night, and a screen of computer codes ready to be copied and pasted into the communication software during the quick five-minutes which the satellite was in reach. A Crockpot simmered on the counter behind him and music played in the background as he waited for the first pass of the night.

space professionals.

On July 7, 2023, after slowly falling lower and lower in its orbit since deployment, ORCASat was likely incinerated by our atmosphere as it lost contact with Earth.

“It's been a really awesome and unique experience to get to build this and be a part of it,” said Buzás. “We have gotten a lot out of it and I'm very happy with how things went.”

He noted that the end of ORCASat won’t stop activity in the radio lab or in the club. The radio lab that UVSD built can now be used by UVic students and professors. With the radio set-up that Buzás and the rest of the team built, they’re able to contact dozens of satellites. They can even contact the ISS, which they’ve tried doing, hoping that the astronauts would answer “just for shits and giggles,” Buzás said. They have yet to hear back.

Even though the ORCASat project has come to an end, the UVSD club room won’t be empty for long, as the group has been awarded $350 000 from the CSA for a new satellite project. The satellite, which has yet to be named, will collect data which will help UVic professors with their research of the composition of the ionosphere and finding a correlation between the ionosphere and natural events, such as earthquakes. The UVSD will work in collaboration with the UVic Centre for Aerospace Research as well as with the geography, physics, and electrical engineering departments. It’s estimated that the project will take two years.

that time. If anything, we were secretly hoping that those guys would have to put [the deployment] off.”

Without a completed and functioning radio lab, there would be no way for the team to communicate with ORCASat and thus collect its data.

“Pros of working from home,” Ellison said, grabbing a drink from his fridge and cracking it open. A bright red error-code came up on his screen as he took a sip. “That’s not good,” he said. “I have to restart the computer.” With just a minute before the first pass, he restarted his computer, reopening his many screens and typing in long passwords to gain access to the radio

“It’s going to be bigger, better, bolder,” said Weeks, holding back a smile.

“It's been a really awesome and unique experience to get to build and be a part of this. We have gotten a lot out of it and I'm very happy with how things went.” - Buzás

ORCASat team via orcasat.ca

Photo via orcasat.ca

Rifflandia The Park review

A weekend of female excellence and communal joy

SYDNEY LOBE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Victoria music scene’s crown jewelevent has come and gone once again.

Rifflandia took place over the course of two weekends this year, as opposed to its usual three-day duration, in the Royal Athletic Park. Weekend one, called “Electric Avenue,” featured Iggy Pop and Paris Hilton as headliners.

Dozens of photos and videos of the socialite-princess-turned-DJ swarmed my social media feeds on the festival’s inaugural weekend. I didn’t attend, but based on the amount of footage I saw of her set, I might as well have.

My scope of the event, bound to a six-inch phone screen, was limited. So, my imagination filled in the blanks with pink glitter and bright-eyed fans dressed in pink, and an enticing air of fabulous, uninhibited fun.

By the time weekend two, “The Park,” rolled around, I was ready for my turn to revel in the magic with headliners Salt-N-Pepa and Diplo.

I strolled through the admission’s line at the Royal Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon while the sun was still hanging low in the sky, and emerged at the top of a concrete staircase that descended into the field.

A birds-eye-view of the festival stopped me dead in my tracks. The festival consisted of a number of merchant’s tents, what looked like a thousand people, two stages, and a series of food trucks that lined at least a quarter of the field’s perimeter.

At first glance, it reminded me of local fairs I’d visited as a child, if they had been larger, busier, louder, and with more drugs circulating.

New arrivals murmured complaints under their breath and swarmed around me on either side. I apologized and reluctantly took the stairs down to the field — into the belly of the

beast.

At the risk of sounding unworldly, I moved through my first hour of the festival like Will Ferrel’s character in Elf explored the Big Apple for the first time. I felt like my inexperience as a festival-goer was so obvious it might be visible, a glowing aura around that wouldn’t let me disappear into the crowd, but instead urged me, wide-

front barricade. I felt like an imposter, but crossed my arms and frowned a little so none of the camera-carrying media personnel around me could tell. It was ten minutes before Salt-N-Pepa took the stage. Behind me, hundreds of people waited for the headliners. The world might as well have belonged to Salt-N-Pepa’s Sandra Denton and Cheryl James between 8 and 9 p.m., as far as I was concerned,

an hour or so of stand-up (including work by famed Canadian comedian Marito Lopez and UVic alum Julya van der Sloot), a security guard stopped me before waving me in. As I pulled up my sleeve to reveal my media bracelet he said, “I work a lot of these things. All the DJs start to sound the same after a while. [Mel C] though, she’s doing something special, and I like it.”

that everyone there was in search of the same thing: a release.

I grew to love the crowd, free and uninhibited, and even found that when the weekend was over, I missed the sight of hundreds of faces staring out in the same direction, bound by a collective desire for a little fun.

Upon reflection, more special yet was the fact that four mature women drew a significant portion of the crowd over the festival’s two weekends.

Paris Hilton (42), Melanie C (49), and Salt-N-Pepa, also known as Sandra Denton (56), and Cheryl James (57) were all Riff crowd favourites, and no doubt, the reasons why many bought tickets to the festival.

Taylor Swift says, in her Netflix documentary Miss Americana, “We do exist in this society where women in entertainment are discarded in an elephant graveyard at 35,” a sentiment that has echoed widely through the music entertainment community.

In a society that tolerates the success of women best while they are young, every show of mature female excellence is a brick in the wall, so to speak, strengthening our collective defense against the entrenched patriarchal myth that a woman is of most value while she is reproductively viable.

At Rifflandia 2023, four excellent women each placed a brick in that wall, and each member of the audience that bought a ticket to see them or pushed against the barricade in the crowd, did too.

eyed, through the drink line without a ticket, aimlessly up the bleachers and inexplicably past the outhouses.

I wound up in the media pit, where I was supposed to be, eventually. I was one of two dozen or so in the six-foot wide stretch between the stage and

and I think it would be safe to say that I wasn’t the only one who felt so. Diplo’s set excited a rowdy crowd, and the next day, Melanie C’s DJ set was also a crowd favourite.

At the entrance to the “comedy bunker” on Sunday, where I watched

New guidelines for living applied at Rifflandia, like shoving and screaming and unusual comradery and public drinking, making the experience feel like a funhouse distortion of reality. By the end of the weekend, though, I overcame my overwhelm, and realized

Review: A candlelit tribute to Taylor Swift

Brilliantly-played string

pop star

It’s every Gen Z music lover’s dream — a string quartet playing Taylor Swift songs, lit by candlelight in a majestic, gothic cathedral. This past Friday, I attended a Candlelight Concert at Christ Church Cathedral with my two roommates, fulfilling our perennial craving for Swift’s music while feeling like classy symphony-goers.

I saw an advertisement for the event on Facebook from @ concertsbycandlelight and was immediately hooked by the prospect of a live music event in Victoria. The organizing company, Fever, has a simple website where I purchased three tickets that were emailed to my inbox.

After scanning our QR codes at the door, my roommates and I sat in our “section C” spots, towards the back rightmost side of the cathedral. Though I’ve been to Christ Church before, I’m always shocked by its grandeur and otherwordly aura. The ceilings seem to reach the clouds, and the swooping gothic curves create a haunting atmosphere. Hundreds of candles circled the slightly platformed stage at the front of the hall. The candles were fake, but of the fancy variety that flickered softly throughout the evening, making them seem

authentic from the audience.

I climbed the concrete staircase on Sunday evening, ready to leave, and looked again at the festival, but this time, once the sun had gone down. The crowd buzzed about the field like a swarm of honey-drunk bees, looking drowsier now than they did the day prior. I left feeling satisfied, and caught the bus home just in time.

renditions of songs by the world’s biggest

The music, performed by Listeso String Quartet, composed of two violins, a viola, and a cello. They began their set with “Lavender Haze,” and it was a slightly shaky opener. It seemed as though the group was not quite in sync with each other.

Their confidence improved as the set went on, though, and only during that first song did I notice an issue with their performance. I also think that they could have played louder — Christ Church is a cavernous space with the potential for sound to bounce off every wall.

The quartet played a variety of songs from nearly all of Swift’s albums. To my surprise, I enjoyed the more upbeat songs much more than the slower ones, which I thought would adapt better to the strings.

The build-up to the chorus of “AntiHero” was a delightful moment, my favourite from the whole concert.

The strings got louder and filled the space with enough intensity for me to feel it in my chest. I also quite enjoyed “Wildest Dreams,” especially because the musicians mentioned it was the same arrangement used on Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix show Bridgerton , which I love.

There was a pause after every two songs where the musicians

commented on what they had played or introduced the next ones. They were enthusiastic and personable, adding their own anecdotes about Taylor Swift and occasionally asking the audience questions. The audience participation made the experience feel all the more personal.

I could only see one violinist from my seat because the massive columns that line the cathedral blocked my view. He was animated and passionate while he played, and I can only assume that the others shared his exuberance.

The audience was filled with every type of person. We happened to be sitting near many couples, who all exchanged glances while “Lover” played. It’s safe to say that this was a great choice for a romantic date night, though we were not the only group of friends in attendance. There were other people our age, possibly also students, but also families with younger children. It was lovely to see all sorts of Swifties enjoying the music together.

One of my favourite moments was during the encore song, “Cruel Summer,” where I saw a mother and young daughter singing together and dancing in their seats. The girl was wearing a sparkly dress and was glowing with excitement as the two left.

This concert was a wonderful way for me and my friends to enjoy the repertoire of a global superstar in our own city. It was also a unique opportunity to see one of Victoria’s architectural marvels, while being

introduced to a more sophisticated style of performance. I believe that live music is an industry that needs to be supported, and I can’t think of a better way to do so than through a performance like this one.

Photo by Andy Wang.

Photo by Hannah Link.

A fantastic modern retelling of Baba Yaga Simple production highlights captivating twists, turns, and power dynamics in Yaga

BRIANNA BOCK VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER

Someone goes missing in a small town. A private detective teams up with a member of the local police to find them. The more they dig, the more the scope of the investigation begins to change. There is something old in the woods — old and dangerous.

Yaga follows two different perspectives. The missing person, Charlie Rapp, and Henry Kalles, who is trying to find him. The play switches between the two timelines carefully, revealing or setting up a new plot point each time. The revelations and twists are really well done, with satisfying pay offs.

As Kalles digs, he unearths a connection to the old stories about Baba Yaga. The guilty seem innocent, and the innocent appear guilty. Even the missing person isn’t as innocent as they first appeared.

The play gets off to a slow start initially. There are a lot of pieces that need to be set up for the audience, but everything pays off in the second act. It’s not that the first act is boring or is told poorly, but rather that it takes

a moment for the full scope of the story to gradually reveal itself to the audience.

After the initial set up, the clues are uncovered and placed well enough for the audience to put the pieces together on their own.

LIFESTYLE & SPORTS

Even if you aren’t a Starbucks regular, you’ve probably heard of the Starbucks “secret menu.” If there weren’t enough drink options listed on the sliding chalkboard menus in-store, the secret menu refers to the custom drinks created by Starbucks superfans. Modifications can be as simple as asking for no foam on a latte, or so complicated that one can essentially create a new drink.

As a seasonal Starbucks worker, I’ve discovered many Starbucks teams also have their own behind-the-counter secret menus. If you’re looking to spice up your drink order for the fall semester (without spiced apple crisp), here are seven recommendations I picked up from partners and customers at my location.

Chocolate strawberry frappuccino:

A decadent drink that fits in with milkshake-adjacent frappuccinos like the mocha cookie crumble.

How to order: “Can I please get a grande mocha frappuccino? Can you line the cup with strawberry puree, and add strawberry inclusions on top?”

While the set and production are very minimal, the simplicity only adds to the strengths of Yaga: the dialogue and the acting. Given that it’s a mystery/thriller, the action comes from the interrogation scenes which play with power dynamics. Even though it

might appear someone has the upper hand, it’s always a sentence away from changing. The action is the dialogue, and all the actors do a fantastic job making it shine.

Yaga also does some very interesting double casting. There are three actors

and at least a dozen roles. Nicholas Nahwegahbow plays Charlie Rapp and Henry Kalles, Tracey Nepinak plays all the older women, and Anastasiia Ziurkalova plays the younger women. A couple characters feel a little flat, but they aren’t in the story for long and mostly suffer from being too similar to each other. It’s difficult to pick out a star of the cast, given that they are all fully capable of switching between characters from scene to scene. The main cast, Kalles, Detective Carson, and the Professor, are the characters who stood out and are the most developed.

If you are interested in seeing a retelling of Baba Yaga that not only transplants the story successfully into the modern day, but has something to say about the legendary witch. Definitely check out Yaga Yaga is playing at the Belfry until Oct. 8. Tickets can be purchased on their website.

Iced strawberry green tea:

The best way to cope with the peach juice shortage that left iced peach green tea fans high and dry.

How to order: “Can I please get a grande strawberry acai refresher, but sub water for green tea?”

Pumpkin spice mocha/white mocha:

A PSL for the people who can’t drink coffee without a shot of chocolate (me).

How to order: “Can I please get a grande pumpkin spice latte with two pumps of pumpkin spice and two pumps of [mocha/white mocha]?”

The bubble tea drink:

The only thing missing from this boba tea copycat is, well… the boba.

How to order: “Can I please get a grande iced black tea with no water and no ice? Can you do no classic syrup and sub four pumps

of brown sugar syrup? And a splash of vanilla sweet cream, please.”

Oreo frappuccino:

A twist on the java chip frap for lovers of cookies and cream.

How to order: “Can I please get a grande vanilla bean frappuccino? Can you add java chips, mocha drizzle, and cookie crumble topping?”

Iced shaken white mocha:

I made up this drink earlier this year while working at Starbucks, and I should probably make a copyright claim because I haven’t ordered anything else since.

How to order: “Can I please get a grande iced shaken espresso with white mocha syrup instead of classic? Could you add vanilla cold foam as well?”

Iced churro latte:

This drink was actually imagined by the staff at the Starbucks on UVic’s campus!

I won’t give away their secret recipe, but it’s a unique spin on a sweetened latte that truly does taste like liquid churro. Get it while it’s still offered. Hit up your local Starbucks for these new fall drinks! Us baristas are genuinely excited to try new recipes as long as customers are kind and patient with us — but no promises that your name will be spelled right on the cup.

Photo by Belfry Theate via Flickr.

Dr Samantha Bourdeau

Illustration by Cooper Anderson.

Illustration by Cooper Anderson.

A gym etiquette primer for newbies and veterans alike

It’s a new year so we’re all back on campus, and that means one thing: lots of new people in the gym. Whether you’re a veteran athlete getting back into shape for the season or someone who is starting their fitness journey for the first time, it’s never a bad idea to refresh yourself on proper gym etiquette.

PRACTICE HYGIENE

The gym can be a very crowded, confined space, and it only takes one person stinking it up to ruin the space for everyone. Of course, it’s normal to get sweaty and to start smelling a bit while exercising intensely. No one is going to blame you for that. However, it’s up to you to do everything you can to minimize your scent. Wear clean clothes, put on deodorant, and shower regularly. Keep in mind, this definitely doesn’t mean you should spray yourself into oblivion with cologne or perfume. That can be just as bad as any BO!

for a reason. Leaving your sweat all over equipment isn’t just gross — it’s rude.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Five simple rules to make the UPCOMING FILMS

Dressing “appropriately” can mean a lot of different things to different people. Anything that is clean, comfortable, and makes you feel confident in the gym can be appropriate. With that said, is it really so hard to change out of your jeans and street shoes?

On the other end of the spectrum, social media has given us the impression that going to the gym should be a fashion show. Like most things on social media, this can be ignored. So long as you are comfortable throughout your workout, anything goes.

DON’T BE A CREEP

Anyone going to the gym should feel safe and respected, and unfortunately it only takes one creepy experience to ruin that. People are in the gym to exercise, not to be hit on.

No matter how discreet you think you’re being, everyone can tell when you’re staring at someone. Cut that out; no one deserves to feel uncomfortable for simply existing in the gym. If someone doesn’t want to talk to you, don’t talk to them.

RESPECT THE SPACE

There is no worse feeling than starting your workout and realizing the piece of equipment you need is out of order or broken. If you want to throw things around to the point where you’re damaging equipment, then maybe it’s time you invest in a home gym.

The social aspect of the gym is important for a lot of people, but you don’t need to take up equipment while you’re chatting to your friends.

RESPECT OTHERS

Just because you’ve been working out for years and know exactly what you’re doing doesn’t mean you have any more right to be in the gym than a newcomer. Being respectful to others is literally the bare minimum standard of gym etiquette.

If someone’s using equipment that you want to use, don’t stare at them from two inches away waiting for them to finish. Giving people a proper amount of space is not only a matter of respect, but safety. Having people walking too close to you while you’re lifting several hundred pounds of metal can be scary.

Finally, some rookies appreciate getting advice from experienced gym-goers, but you should never assume that anyone has to hear what you have to say. Asking permission to give unsolicited advice in a nonjudgmental way can be a great way to help people new to the gym feel respected.

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ATUM BECKETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

Photo by Danielle Cerullo via Unsplash.

Also, those spray bottles of cleaning solution and towels are placed strategically around the gym

So whether you know the weight room like the back or the hand or are just stepping onto a treadmill for the first time, creating a positive environment in the gym isn’t hard. All you can do is put the right intentions and energy out there, and hopefully others will reciprocate.

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psilocybin socially OCT 20: 9:00 | OCT 21: 6:30 & 8:30 OCT 27: 9:30 | OCT 28: 7:30

Maybe it’s a sign of how old I’m getting, but something about alcohol just doesn’t quite do it for me anymore. The hangover, the stupid decisions, the cost. Everything about going out to get drunk has become less and less appealing. Perhaps the biggest reason is how easy it is to lose control while drinking.

If I’m in a social situation, whether that be at a party or out on the town, losing control over my actions feels not only irresponsible but dangerous. With new research showing that alcohol is much worse for you than I’ve been led to believe, my appetite for liquor has gone down substantially.

But just because I’m not getting wasted doesn’t mean I want to stay completely sober. This is where I’ve started to turn toward the world of social psilocybin.

Psilocybin is the compound found in magic mushrooms that makes you feel high. At high doses, it can cause hallucinations and profound introspection. Until recently, I had only used psilocybin in high doses, and the thought of doing that in a public setting was terrifying. But then I discovered the world of microdosing.

You should also never hoard multiple sets of dumbbells, no matter what you’re doing. Likewise, laying claim to more than one machine at a time is unreasonable.

Microdosing is the act of taking imperceptible amounts of psilocybin. It does not result in the same hallucination and introspection, only slight feelings of elation and openness.

I used microdosing on my own several times with enjoyable results, then I eventually ended up trying it in public as a replacement for alcohol.

I used alcohol mainly as a way to overcome my social anxiety and open up around people I didn’t know.

When I replaced my drinking with a small dose of psilocybin, I was surprised by how similar the anxiety relieving effect was. Yet, with a small enough dose, I was able to feel like myself and in control while still being able to break down social barriers.

But I have found that eating mushrooms comes with its own risks.

As someone with an incredibly weak stomach, I still haven’t been able to get past the effects that even just a tiny dose can have on my gut. Luckily, I haven’t thrown up from it yet, unlike my previous experiences with alcohol.

Additionally, I don’t love the taste of most fungi, and magic mushrooms unfortunately taste like rancid dirt. Luckily there are alternatives like powdered mushroom capsules or infused chocolate, which are also helpful for measuring an accurate dose.

Psilocybin is an incredibly emotional drug, and I’ve found that if I’m dealing with intense stress or trauma in my life, I can be forced to face it head on. This is why psilocybin is used in therapeutic fashions to help treat depression and PTSD. If you plan to use psilocybin, figuring out the right dosage for yourself is of the utmost importance. Taking too much and being in the wrong headspace or environment can lead to a bad trip, which is something you might want to avoid if you’re not prepared to do some intense introspection.

Dosing can vary wildly depending on your weight, metabolism, and the strain of mushrooms being consumed. It’s important to figure out what works best for you, and to ignore any peer pressure from anyone telling you to have “just a bit more.”

Even though magic mushrooms seem to be all the rage at the moment, they are still illegal here in Canada.

While many drugs were decriminalized in B.C. last year, magic mushrooms were not. That means that it is possible to be fined

if you are in possession of them without a prescription.

Mushroom dispensaries have begun opening up across Vancouver, and like cannabis dispensaries, they can feel more like you’re shopping in an Apple store rather than buying drugs.

I predict that like cannabis, magic mushrooms will soon be a regulated and legal industry in Canada. Until then though, the dispensaries selling the product are still at risk of raids and police closure.

While doing research I found very few documented instances of mushrooms laced with adulterants, however, we are living in an overdose crisis. Never consume substances if you are not sure of where they came from.

None of this is to say that mushrooms are for everyone, or that they are a complete replacement for alcohol. If you are interested in learning more about psilocybin, it has a cultural and spiritual history that goes back thousands of years.

How to decorate your room on a budget

Four tips to make your space feel more like your own

a prison)

HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

As someone who just moved into a new rental house, I am frustratingly familiar with the need to decorate a new space. It’s tough to find the time (and money) for pursuits that seem frivolous when there are more important things to focus on, like the mounting pile of dishes in the sink and the stack of readings waiting to

be done. It is my firm belief, though, that a welcoming and personalized room has the potential to brighten one’s mood just enough to make those tasks a bit less daunting.

Here are some tips I’ve collected that will help add some spice to your place without breaking the bank.

INEXPENSIVE ORGANIZERS

You can’t have a well-decorated room before it’s tidy. It’s never too hard to find ways to store bigger items like bags, clothes, and books, but I always find it difficult to find ways to keep the little things in my room in order. One solution that works well for me is buying plastic organizing trays and drinking glasses from Dollarama. I use them to store my makeup, as a catch-all

(and less like

for keys and cords, and to sort office supplies in my desk drawers.

If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly idea, start snooping around for used plastic containers. My favourites are the ones that Ferrero Rocher chocolates come in — they’re sturdy with rounded edges and fit all of my pens.

Your roommates might look at you with curiosity when you ask to keep the container their tofu came in, but at least you’ll know your room will be tidier for it.

“CUSTOM” CRATE SHELVING

Instead of buying a weirdly pricey side table (or awkwardly dropping your phone on the floor every night), I suggest using two crates stacked on top of each other as a shelf. I got mine for just under $12 each at Walmart. When positioned sideways with the open side facing out, they create a perfect side table. You can always stack more to make a bookshelf, or even use them to organize your closet.

IMPROVED LIGHTING

If there’s one thing that a proper bedroom needs, it’s good lighting. Think about what a room looks like with an overhead light on. It shines down, casting no shadow, creating the energy of a hospital waiting area.

A lamp can add so much to the feeling of a room, taking it from sterile to warm.

I suggest a sturdy tri-bulb lamp, which is less expensive than the cost of feeling like you’re slowly losing your mind. Always place lamps like these against a wall or in a corner. The way the light bounces off the paint allows for a bright glow, and when positioned near a desk, the lowest bulb can be turned down to act as a work lamp.

Another lighting option is the classic string of twinkle lights, which work well as a pick-me-up during December when it feels like the sun rises at noon. I also love salt lamps because they add another layer of comfort to a space with their gentle, diffused glow.

WALL FURNISHINGS

If you haven’t walked through the Imaginus poster sale in the SUB before, try it. It’s a great starting place for room decor, provided the poster you want isn’t sold out or the line isn’t so long that you miss your next class. Always imagine where the piece will go on your walls to avoid buying ones that you’ll never put up. To add more unique art to your space, try searching in thrift stores. Look for pieces that compliment the colours of your space, or ones that fit in well with the aesthetic that you’re looking for. Many thrift stores also sell empty frames that you can use for an accent wall or to hang your favourite pieces.

Do you associate every inanimate thing with a sign in the zodiac like I do? It’s okay, that’s normal (I think). Ever since I was a teenager, I have been fixated on astrology. My mom is a psychic and hypnotist, so astrology was the only logical choice for me to follow in her footsteps. With that there is no better person to analyze your birth chart, or for now, just tell you what UVic building you are. So keep reading to find out whether you’re complicated like Cornett or intimidating like CARSA.

ARIES (MARCH 21–APRIL 19)

Aries is the first sign in the Zodiac, which is fitting as they love to be number one. This fiery sign is bold, ambitious, passionate, and they tend to make confident leaders. Because of this, Aries is the Business and Economics Building. These upbeat rams tend to be social animals, which will come in handy at those famous business “networking” parties.

TAURUS (APRIL 20–MAY 20)

This earth sign is ruled by Venus, and as such, Tauruses are known for being the most sensual sign in the zodiac. They tend to find themselves in soothing environments, but as a grounded earth sign, they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty. Being an earth sign, this bull can feel the most at home outdoors and knows how to get shit done, making them the Bob Wright Centre.

GEMINI (MAY 21–JUNE 20)

One of the most underrated signs in the zodiac, these air signs are both playful and curious, but known to be two-faced. Geminis are symbolized by the celestial twins meaning they’re simultaneously interested in many different topics, hobbies, careers, and even friend groups. This may be the reason why they have a dubious reputation. Geminis are playful and intellectual, and because of their many interests, they align best with the MacLaurin Building. Housing both the Faculty of Education and the School of Music, this building is also juggling multiple interests, just like these twins.

CANCER (JUNE 21–JULY 22)

These sensitive water signs are known for their maternal sides, making them more domestic than the other signs. This makes them the Sedgewick Building. Tucked away in the trees, this building is home to the Equity and Human Rights department and Occupation Health, Safety and Environment. Cancers love to create safe, personal sanctuaries, and tend to adopt a more caregiving role, which is why this cozy building is perfect for Cancer.

LEO (JULY 23–AUG. 22)

It’s no surprise that the theatrical, fiery, Leo is Phoenix Theatre. Ruled by the sun, Leos naturally require their time in the limelight. Known for being the most dramatic sign in the zodiac, Leos thrive when the attention is on them, making

the home of the UVic’s theatre department a no-brainer for this sign.

VIRGO (AUG. 23–SEPT. 22)

This logical, practical, perfectionist earth sign is known for their attention to detail, which makes them the David Turpin Building. Being both an earth sign and meticulous, Virgos are intellectual problem solvers. Being ruled by the goddess of wheat and agriculture, this perfectionist sign is like a jack of all trades, making the building that contains the environmental studies, geography, math, and political science departments a nice host for this sign.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23–OCT. 22)

Represented by the scales, this air sign has a desire for justice. Libras are known for considering all perspectives, and tend to fixate on balance and harmony. This air sign tries to make sure that all areas of their life are symmetrical and they love equilibrium. With this, Libras are the home of the law students — aka the Fraser Building. This venus ruled sign, are smooth talkers and charismatic, but be careful as these signs tend to be a little indecisive.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23–NOV. 21)

Like Cancers, Scorpios are a water sign that are deeply intuitive and emotional. Unlike the other water signs, Scorpios have a reputation of being mysterious. It can almost feel like you will never fully understand them, like the Cornett Building. Even though this water sign can be mysterious, they’re very empathetic

which makes the home of the psychology department the right fit for this sign.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22– DEC. 21)

The last of the fire signs, Sagittarius, is the adventurer of the zodiac. Represented by the archer, Sagittariuses are always on the fly like the arrow shot from a bow. Since they’re always on the move, they align best with the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA). With everything from the climbing centre, spin classes, yoga, and the fitness area, CARSA can keep the curious Sagittarius occupied before their next adventure.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22–JAN. 19)

Just like their fellow earth signs, Capricorns are down to earth, practical, and hardworking. Being ruled by Saturn, Capricorn is associated with responsibilities and time and because of this, they’re very punctual and understand the importance of time management. With this in mind, Capricorn is the Engineering and Computer Science Building. Hardworking and very ambitious Capricorns work hard to be able to play hard. This sign understands that great things come with time, just like their careers.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20–FEB. 18)

Aquarius is the last air sign of the zodiac. Known as the most innovative, progressive, and humanitarian of the zodiac, this determined air sign wants to make a difference in the world, which is why they’re the Human and Social Development Building. This rebellious sign will be the first at protests fighting for your rights, passionate about making the world a better place.

PISCES (FEB. 19–MARCH 20)

The last sign of the zodiac, this water sign is known for their creativity. Symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, this sign has a tendency to divide their attention between their fantasies and reality. As such, Pisces often make great artists, which is why they’re the Visual Arts Building. Seeing life with rose-coloured glasses, Pisces have big dreams like artists. This makes the arts building the perfect home for this sign.

Photo by Hannah Link.

Which UVic building are you based on your astrology sign?

Back to school scavenger hunt Test your campus knowledge for a chance to win

ATUM BECKETT SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Whether you’re a bright-eyed freshman new to UVic or a fifth-year student just trying to get that degree finished, it’s fall, so that means we’re back on campus.

But how well do you actually know UVic?

Depending on your faculty, it’s easy to spend all your time in just a few buildings, potentially missing some of the best places around the university.

What better way to explore campus than the Martlet’s scavenger hunt?

Here are the rules:

There are five clues, all leading to different places or things around campus. Take a picture of yourself at each of these places and email them to business@martlet.ca. If you’re one of the first three people to get them all, you can win some Martlet merch and Cinecenta tickets.

So grab a few friends and get exploring!

CLUE 1

This was the first building on campus back when UVic was still known as Victoria College. Trying to find your way to class here can feel like walking through a maze. The different wings can feel like the answers to a multiple choice question. Good thing there is a large sign showing this wing of the building…

Question: the oldest building on campus is named after a Canadian lawyer. What year was he born?

A. 1832

B. 1901

C. 1887

D. 1856

CLUE 2

UVic is seen in a Hallmark mystery movie, although it’s called something a little different: Kenzer College.

There were only a few locations on campus used, but they’re all high traffic areas.

If only there was a way that we could see some UVic students in any of the locations used in the movie…

CLUE 3

Did you know that there is a world of UVic outside of Ring Road? Crazy, I know. One of the faculties found outside the ring is Fine Arts, which includes the theatre department.

The Phoenix Theatre puts on some great productions that will make you stare and then clap.

Use some of your creative thinking to rearrange these letters to find a place where many theatre students frequent…

STARE CLAP

CLUE 4

It’s no secret that going to university is expensive, but at least paying tuition gets you access to everywhere on campus…not!

While this building is only accessible with a membership, at least anyone is allowed into the lobby. And inside is a special vending machine that sells something other than food and drink.

What exactly is in this vending machine…

CLUE 5

It doesn’t matter if you’re new to UVic or if you’ve been here for

years, obviously you love reading the Martlet! But here is a test for the true fans: Where is the Martlet office? Take

a picture of yourself in front of the office’s door to show your dedication to UVic’s independent student newspaper.

The Martlet Publishing Society is an incorporated B.C. society and operates based on our Statement of Principles. We strive to act as an agent of constructive social change and will not publish racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise oppressive copy. Our

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ashlee Levy edit@martlet.ca

OPERATIONS MANAGER Anna Alva business@martlet.ca

DESIGN DIRECTOR Chloe Latour design@martlet.ca

VOLUNTEER STAFF EDITORS

DESIGN ASSISTANT Sage Blackwell design@martlet.ca

SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Atum Beckett, Hannah Link, Sydney Lobe, Melody Powers VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER Brianna Bock

SENIOR STAFF EDITORS Christian Romanowski, Rowan Watts

Julien Johnston-Brew, Hannah Seaton

CONTRIBUTORS Star Alipour-Kashi, Cooper Anderson, Daniela Chow, Antonella Medina Arias, Sarah Roberts, Andy Wang