Volume 49, Issue 19

The Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Toronto Mississauga since 1974

Issue 19 Volume 49

February 27 2023

themedium.ca

UKRAINE

DENNIS LEE

MEN’S HOCKEY

“This year, we all aged two years,” said my best friend on the phone when I told him about my recent nightmare. I was thinking about a year of war before I went to bed, and a nightmare followed these thoughts once again.

No Pain Like This Body, one of Ladoo’s two published books, gives readers a sense of Trinidad’s history of indentureship and the near-slavery, poverty, and trauma that it would bring many East Indians.

The Eagles have something to prove. It’s a common misconception that UTM is a lesser campus than St. George when it comes to athletic talent. UTM might be smaller, but it deserves the same respect as the University’s other campuses.

>> read more on page 05

>> read more on page 07

>> read more on page 11

NEWS

U of T’s Inlight Initiative hosts webinar on equitable student mental health research Mihail Cubata Associate News Editor

O

n February 28, 2023, U of T’s Inlight, a student mental health research initiative, will host the fifth session of their Global Speaker Series— which, according to Inlight’s website, is a series of events seeking to “[profile] the latest research in student mental health and wellbeing from around the world.” The organization that would later become Inlight was formed in 2020 in response to a U of T report that recommended the university use its “expertise in mental health research” to create a research initiative focusing on student mental health. >> INLIGHT continues on page 02

SAMIRANATALIE KARIMOVA/THE NG/THE MEDIUM

ARTS

OPINION

Serial killers—pop culture’s newest entertainers

Reconciling religion with secularism Mashiyat Ahmed Staff Writer

Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor Trigger Warning: This article mentions sexual assault and extreme violence.

O

n Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California hosted the 80th Golden Globes Awards. After an industry “boycott” cancelled last year’s ceremony from airing—over ethical, social, and diversity issues—American powerhouse broadcasting company NBC announced award winners during a private online event in 2022 instead.

This year, however, once again displayed the glittery gathering of blacktie wearing stars in recognition of their recent contributions to (mostly Hollywood) film and television projects. Included in the full list of winners from that evening is actor Evan Peters.

Peters won “Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Motion Picture” for his portrayal of the titular character in Netflix’s Dahmer–Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. Jeffrey Dahmer is considered one of the most cold-blooded serial killers in American history.

Over the course of 13 years, Dahmer lured boys and young men first to his parental homes, and then to his own Milwaukee apartment where he, among other things, drugged, raped, strangled, and mutilated them. Upon Dahmer’s arrest in 1991, authorities found body parts belonging to the victims stored around his apartment. >> SERIAL KILLERS continues on page 10

W

hen I was young, my paternal grandfather passed away from colon cancer. I did not know him well, but he was a stern man who loved his children loyally.

Though the recollections are nebulous, I recall that when he died, there was a distinct outpouring of sorrow in the form of upholding religious practices and conventions. It was almost as if holding onto the family’s shared spirituality would close the distance between my grandfather’s withering soul and my father’s living one.

The constant recitation of prayers after my grandfather’s death, and my father’s hands continually held up in supplication—more than they usually were—were common spectacles. As a young child, I remember thinking there were perhaps more interactive and engaging ways to preserve my grandfather’s memory.

I did not understand why my father chose to grieve his loss in such an isolated fashion, with only him and his God. I was an uncertain and skeptical child at best, and this confusion and awkwardness with religious customs and ideas continued into my teens.

Since then, my personal views on religion have changed immensely; I do not believe in a conventional God within an institutionalized religion. Still, the term “atheist” seldom encompasses all the possibilities and

ideas I do believe in and that I think are incredibly relevant in today’s increasingly secular and religiously disenchanted society.

To me, an atheist is someone who has explored the breadth of what religion has to offer and has decided that, perhaps, they will explore the world they live in a different way—they will find their earthly purpose elsewhere and with different means. Now, however, the continual debate between science and religion has produced militant atheists who feel the need to assert their ideological superiority through their rejection of God. The popular rise in atheism and secularism makes it increasingly unfavorable, and even unscientific, to give credit to religious establishments and spiritual thinking as a key evolutionary step in the development of human societies.

But why did our ancestors create cave art when it served no immediate utility or enhanced survival?

And were early religions a way in which people not bonded by kinship formed communities to better protect each other outside of their gene pools?

The answer is yes!

Like many people in the scientific community, I used to view religion as a remnant of evolutionarily advantageous behaviour that was only relevant during the infancy of human civilizations, and that due to the victories of modernism and the conflicts caused by religious wars, religion was best left as a memory of the past. >> RELIGION continues on page 06

02

NEWS

Editor | Larry Lau news@themedium.ca

U of T’s Inlight Initiative hosts webinar on equitable student mental health research Inclusivity and equity in research require more than simply including people; they require the reconceptualization of existing views based on perspectives that were not previously considered.

Mihail Cubata Associate News Editor >> INLIGHT continued from page 01 The organization includes committees of students, academics, and clinical professionals.

February 2023’s Global Speaker Series event will be held over Zoom and will focus on exploring equity, diversity, and inclusivity in student mental health research. The University of Calgary’s Kome Odoko and U of T’s Jenny Hui will be speaking at the event about student mental health, discussing research findings, and answering questions about equitable student mental health research. Camisha Sibblis, assistant professor of Criminology, Law and Society at U of T and associate director of Education and Training at Inlight, will be moderating the talk.

“The spectrum of mental health issues is so vast and complex, especially post-Covid,” says

Professor Sibblis in conversation with The Medium. “The event gives students a place to not only hear about research but also ask questions and talk about what’s taxing them.”

Professor Sibblis emphasizes the value of the Global Speaker Series as a place for students to connect with mental health practitioners and the global mental health research community.

Previous guests at the Global Speaker Series include experts from Australia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

According to Professor Sibblis, current research on student mental health focuses on identifying the causes of mental health issues, exploring risk factors, and developing programs relevant to what students are experiencing. She contends that hearing from students at events like the Global Speaker Series is critical to the research process, stating: “Equitable mental health means engaging students as experts, participants, and collaborators on their own experiences.”

Professor Sibblis shares that her own experiences with mental health issues as a student

at U of T fueled her aspiration to tackle issues of equity, diversity, and inclusivity in student mental health research—in her professional career, and as a member of the Inlight Initiative.

“My role is a direct response to issues of equity within the mental health space,” says Professor Sibblis. She oversees research to ensure that it upholds the initiative’s equity standards.

Professor Sibblis believes that a more equitable future for mental health involves the restructuring of the current Eurocentric approach to mental health research. “I’ve always

taken issue with the ‘inclusivity’ part of the equity, diversity, inclusivity trio,” she explains.

“It implies that we can fix problems by just ‘including’ people, or by just adding things to the periphery of Eurocentric views. Real ‘equity’ would mean taking down what we currently have and rebuilding in accordance with various perspectives that weren’t considered before.”

Professor Sibblis adds that while the global mental health community is starting to see how disconnected it has been, there is still a lot of room for progress. She hopes that events like the Global Speaker Series encourage students to get involved with Inlight and the topic of mental health. Likewise, Professor Sibblis invites students to apply to be part of Inlight’s advisory committee, for their various grants, and to reach out on social media.

“I really want to encourage students to participate,” says Professor Sibblis. “Come out in critical numbers, talk to us, and change how Inlight sees you. The university’s language is research, so if you can make yourself heard in the research, you can drive real change.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory resigns after admitting to an affair—what happens now?

On February 17, 2023, John Tory officially stepped down from his mayoral position—a week after disclosing details about his extramarital affair with a 31-year-old former subordinate.

Angelina Jaya Siew Staff Writer

O

n February 10, 2023, shortly after commencing a third term as mayor of Toronto, John Tory admitted to an affair with a former staff member during the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of his actions, Tory announced that he will be resigning from his position as Toronto’s mayor. He submitted his formal resignation to Toronto City Clerk, John D. Elvidge, on February 17, 2023, at 5 p.m.—thus ending his time as Toronto’s mayor.

“During the pandemic I developed a relationship with an employee in my office in a way that did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as mayor and as a family man,” stated Tory. He further explained that the workplace relationship ended mutually earlier this year, and the employee obtained a job outside of Toronto City Hall.

Tory called this extramarital affair “a serious error in judgement on [his] part.” He announced his resignation from his position as mayor so that he “can take the time to reflect on [his] mistakes,” and work to regain his family’s trust.

During his statement, he apologized not only to the people of Toronto, but to the parties negatively impacted by his actions, including his staff and colleagues, and especially his wife and family, “who [he has] let down, more than anyone else.”

“I have nonetheless been deeply honored by the opportunity to serve the people of this wonderful city,” said Tory, explaining that he “[made] a positive difference for the city that [he] truly love[s], particularly during the pandemic.”

So, what happens after Mayor Tory’s resignation? During an interview with The Medium, Professor Randy Besco from the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Department of Political Science shares his views on the sudden resignation of Mayor Tory.

Professor Besco believes that Tory’s affair was “clearly an abuse of power,” considering that the former staff member was Tory’s subordinate. He emphasizes that any sexual relationship with a subordinate in the workplace is unacceptable.

“I was surprised honestly that he resigned,” remarks Professor Besco, because “a lot of politicians [in Tory’s position] would have tried to stay [in power.]” Professor Besco finds that a senior politician in Canada resigning due to an affair is almost unheard of, calling the situation “very unusual.” However, he believes that Tory’s resignation was the honourable and responsible thing to do after his disclosure of the workplace affair.

“When the mayor resigns, the deputy mayor becomes the mayor temporarily,” explains Professor Besco. “The city

EVAN MITSUI/CBC

council has between thirty and sixty days to call the election,” meaning that the time of the next election will be decided within this period.

Therefore, after Tory’s formal resignation, Professor Besco suspects that “the deputy mayor, Jennifer McKelvie, will become the mayor” and “will not make a lot of policy changes.”

It should be noted that McKelvie herself will not be running for mayor in the new elections.

Regarding the public opinion of Tory after his affair and resignation, Professor Besco postulates that “the public view of him right now is not too bad in part because he resigned.”

He elaborates that people believe Tory made a responsible decision by stepping down.

However, Professor Besco believes that effects on the longterm public opinion of the Toronto government are not as clear, and depend on factors such as the election process and who wins.

According to Professor Besco, Tory’s resignation could have large ramifications on the political sphere in Toronto because “[the provincial government] gave the mayor a lot of new powers.” The provincial government did this with the hope that they would have an ally in the mayor’s office. Professor Besco notes that if someone wins the election who has very different views and policies or does not get along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, then “[the political landscape] could change a lot in terms of relationships with the provincial government, and especially with the federal government.”

Professor Besco contends that while it is unlikely policies such as the 2023 Housing Action Plan will be altered after Tory’s resignation, “If a different mayor gets elected who has different opinions, they might abandon Tory’s policy entirely.”

03

Maryam Lela News Editor

Canada automatically qualifies for 2026 FIFA World Cup

UTM

UTM’s INSPIRE Scholars program gives hands-on training in biophysical methods The two-week summer program aims to prepare upper year science students for graduate school or their entry into the world of biotech startups.

Emily Prete Staff Writer

T

he University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) 2023 Interdisciplinary Summer Program in Research and Entrepreneurship (INSPIRE) Scholars program is an intensive two-week program intended to prepare upper year physics, chemistry, and quantitative biology students for graduate school. The program is slated to take place between June 19 to 30, 2023, with the deadline to apply being March 6, 2023.

Admitted scholars will receive a tuition fellowship that addresses the cost of instruction and laboratory fees. During the course, students will receive hands-on training from faculty in both experimental and computational techniques.

With its focus on entrepreneurship, another aim of the program is to inform participants about what it takes to create a start-up. The program will feature lectures from biotech entrepreneurs in the Greater Toronto Area.

This year’s theme is “21st Century Biophysical Techniques.” Many physics professors within UTM’s Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences work alongside biochemists and molecular biologists in research areas under the questions: “How are cells programmed?” and “How do proteins function?” Biophysicists apply their expertise in mathematics, physics, and chemistry to the complex and data-rich questions that molecular biologists are interested in. Additionally, physicists and chemists have historically played a role in some major discoveries in biology, such as determining the structure of DNA. Some modules being offered in this year’s INSPIRE Scholars Program include “super-resolved imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, single-molecule spectroscopy, computational molecular dynamics, among others.” Students will be given experiential opportunities to hone their techniques and enrich their knowledge in each of these modules.

There are many faculty members within the field of physics slated to teach in the program, including Professor Joshua N. Milstein, whose research focuses on the “spatial organization and dynamical motion of DNA;” Professor Claudiu Gradinaru, who uses tools like single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy to understand how intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) interact with other molecules; and Professor

Sarah Rauscher who employs computational simulations of molecular dynamics to address questions about IDPs. Faculty instructors from UTM’s Chemistry Department will include Professor Voula Kanelis, who uses nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and other tools to learn about ATP-binding cassette transporters and phage proteins on a molecular level; Professor Alana Ogata, who aims to develop single-molecule tools to analyze proteins and apply them to diagnosing diseases; and Professor R. Scott Prosser, who uses NMR spectroscopy to study protein folding and enzymes.

“Many physics professors within UTM’s Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences work alongside biochemists and molecular biologists in research areas under the questions: ‘How are cells programmed?’ and ‘How do proteins function?’”

The year’s run marks the second time that the INSPIRE Scholars program is being offered, and it comes with some notable changes. In 2022, the INSPIRE Scholars program was four weeks long, with the theme of “GCPR pharmacology.” It was also named the “INSPIRE Scholars Drug Discovery Program,” and according to the theme, last year’s program was directed more towards students aiming for a career in pharmacology.

Last year, 23 students from different disciplines participated, and admission for this year’s program is expected to be competitive.

The INSPIRE Scholars Program is aimed for third- and fourth-year undergraduate students considering graduate school in biophysics, biochemistry, or other fields of quantitative biology, and incoming graduate students. Regardless, exceptional second-year students experienced in physics, chemistry, or biochemistry are also invited to apply.

According to a CBC article, on February 14, 2023, FIFA issued a statement saying that the Canadian men’s soccer team has secured an automatic spot for themselves in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Canada, alongside the US and Mexico, will be co-hosts for the tournament in 2026, which secures qualifications for each of them. Toronto and Vancouver are among the 16 cities set to host games across the three countries. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place between June 3 and July 8, 2026, will be the first soccer event to have more than two countries as co-hosts.

Islamophobia at UTM On February 13, 2023, the University of Toronto Mississauga Muslim Students’ Association (UTMMSA) released a statement revealing two incidents of Islamophobia on campus. One incident pertains to Professor Jumi Shin, who currently teaches CHM242H5: Introductory Organic Chemistry. Professor Shin has reportedly been checking Muslim women’s hijabs for earphones, or any other unauthorized aids, before tests. Muslim students say that the professor has partially removed their hijabs in the presence of other students, which they feel is a violation of their right to religious expression.

Another incident has to do with PSY220H5: Introduction to Social Psychology professor, Dax Urbzsat, who reportedly made “false and inappropriate claims” regarding Islam during a lecture. One claim was that “Islam rewards the killing of innocent people.” The UTMMSA refers to his statement as “a textbook example of Islamophobia.” Both incidents have been reported to the Dean of Student Services.

Results of the UTMSU Lobby Week During the first week of February, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, alongside student representatives, met with the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) administration to lobby for increased food security, improvements to learning experiences, and academic policy adjustments.

Regarding food security, the UTM administration guarantees that chicken and beef from internal food service providers, such as Colman Commons, are halal. The UTM administration will also be improving signage for vegan and vegetarian cuisine. Additionally, student auditors will provide feedback to the university on food handlers’ quality of work. For financial aids, the UTM administration will be increasing the amount of aid provided by scholarships and the number of paid internships for students. To accommodate students’ various needs, more hybrid and online courses are also being considered.

In regard to academic policy adjustments, the university administration will be increasing staff numbers to address accumulated academic integrity cases. Additionally, the UTM administration is participating in a tri-campus working group that is exploring the extension of the Credit/No Credit deadline. An update on this will be provided between March and April.

Novo Nordisk partners with UTM to explore diabetes and obesity prevention Recently, Novo Nordisk, a European pharmaceutical company, partnered with U of T and the City of Mississauga to discover more about diabetes and obesity prevention. Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Novo Nordisk’s CEO, states: “We believe that by bringing public and private capabilities together, we can look into how we can prevent diseases.” He adds that to prevent diseases like obesity and diabetes, it is necessary to “[look] at local environments and [bring] all our knowledge and capabilities at play.” Mississauga is one of over 40 cities worldwide that is participating in Novo Nordisk’s “Cities Changing Diabetes” program.

04

UOFT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

“‘No wrong door’ for the curious”: embracing a week of entrepreneurial fervour at U of T The U of T Entrepreneurship Week will be held from March 6 to 9, 2023, with over 15 events across U of T’s three campuses, and everyone from first-year undergraduates to external stakeholders are welcome to attend.

Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor

J

on French, director of University of Toronto Entrepreneurship (UTE), believes U of T’s annual Entrepreneurship Week has something to offer everyone: from students, alumni, faculty, and staff—who may wish to learn about innovation and start-up activity—to investors, customers, business leaders, and the media, who want information about the companies being showcased.

In the past 10 years, more than 600 U of T start-ups have raised over $2.5 billion in funding and created 9,000 jobs in different industries and sectors. The UTE has over 10 accelerators across all three U of T campuses that support over 500 teams and deliver programming through each year. Two weeks ago, U of T was recognized as one of the Top 5 University Business Incubators in the world by UBI Global’s survey.

For students, regardless of their field of study and how little entrepreneurial experience they may have, the program at Entrepreneurship Week provides practical advice on how to turn an idea into a real company, and introduces them to U of T’s resources and support for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship Week returns for its seventh year—the first year back in-person since the Covid-19 pandemic for many events. “While virtual allowed us to safely connect and network with supporters from around the world, nothing beats the serendipitous collisions that occur face to face,” says French. “I can’t wait to see people ‘in real life,’ but we also took lessons from the pandemic regarding program delivery, which is why many events, including the Speaker Series, also have virtual registration options and will be livestreamed.”

In-person Entrepreneurship Week events will take place across all three U of T campuses, along with their virtual counterparts.

“We anticipate that themes such as mental wellness for founders, [equity, diversity, and inclusion] in entrepreneur-

ship, [raising venture capital to fund your company, intellectual property, music and entrepreneurship, as well as sustainability] to be popular and woven throughout the week’s festivities,” says French. “There are incredible events scheduled on and around March 8 to celebrate International Women’s Day that will also be very popular, including the ICUBE accelerator at UTM’s annual Pitch With a Twist, where women-led start-ups will present their companies to experienced judges for prize money and accolades.”

ICUBE is the campus accelerator at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), offering a safe and welcoming workspace alongside programs like the RedBird Circle and Ideation Lab to not only entrepreneurs from UTM, but the entire Peel Region. “They have always been a leader in the UTE community, especially with regards to supporting under-represented communities and equity deserving groups,” contends French. “We are thrilled to have Kayla Sousa, ICUBE program lead[,] as our emcee for the Desjardins Startup Prize, featuring 10 start-ups from across the tri-campus, including ICUBE/UTM venture and Inwit, pitching for over $100 thousand in prizes on March 9!”

“Pitch With a Twist [seeks] to support businesses that have at least one woman-identified founder or co-founder and that are trying to make meaningful social change,” says Kayla Sousa, programs lead at ICUBE. “We’re basically going to have two categories: an early-stage category for folks who are prelaunched[,] as in they may just have an idea for a start-up and haven’t even incorporated yet, and a later-stage category for folks who are further along in their journey, still early, but they’ve entered the market by selling their product or service a little bit more.”

Alongside Pitch With a Twist, another highlight of Entrepreneurship Week is the True Blue Expo—a trade show featuring 40 of the most innovative U of T tri-campus startups, both early and well-funded. The expo will take place on March 9, 2023, at the MaRS Discovery District. “Spread across the entire MaRS complex will be start-ups with robotic arms to create art, companies focused on clean tech and the environment, many health-focused ventures and even one from UTM focused on sustainable catering,” explains French. “The True Blue Expo will also feature representation from our 10+ campus accelerators, mission-aligned community partners, and other parts of the university such as alumni relations.”

Interested students can register to attend the True Blue Impact Day at Eventbrite.ca. For more information regarding the full 2023 U of T Entrepreneurship Week schedule, visit entrepreneurs.utoronto.ca.

MASTHEAD EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Provost editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Juliana Stacey managing@themedium.ca News Larry Lau news@themedium.ca Opinion Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.ca Features Prisha (Maneka) Nuckchady features@themedium.ca A&E Julia Skoczypiec arts@themedium.ca Sports Alisa Samuel sports@themedium.ca Photo Samira Karimova photos@themedium.ca

05

OPINION

Editorial

Is this the right program to study?

When it comes to deciding what you’re spending a long period of your life doing, trust your intuition, and believe yourself.

The Medium

T

he winter semester’s reading week is over, and just a week later, applications for program of study (PoST) will open. Term tests and assignments have been graded and returned, and being more than halfway through the semester, you’re aware of what your courses are about, how challenging they may be, and importantly, how interesting they are to you.

Design Manjot Pabla design@themedium.ca Copy Aidan Thompson aidan@themedium.ca River Knott river@themedium.ca Social Belicia Chevolleau social@themedium.ca Podcast Kareem Al-Sawalmeh message@themedium.ca

ASSOCIATES Emily Rogers, News Mihail Cubata, News Dalainey Gervais, Features Olga Fedossenko, Features Megan Freedman, Arts Maja Tingchaleun, Arts Melody Yang, Sports Radhia Rameez, Sports Beatriz Simas, Photos & Design Aurora Picciottoli, Photos & Design

TO CONTRIBUTE & CONNECT: themedium.ca/contact @themediumUTM

@themediumUTM

@themediumUTM

@themediumUTM

@themessageUTM

@humansofUTM_

Editor | Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.ca

NWM/SHUTTERSTOCK

For some students, such matters simply fuel their ambitions and reinforce their existing views about their future. They’ve chosen the program that is right for them, and while it may be difficult at times, they’re doing something that is invigorating and inspiring, allowing them plow through even the toughest moments.

But for others, perhaps this is a time to evaluate whether or not you are suited for the program you are in or intend to apply for. If you are struggling with your classes, you will need to honestly decide whether you’ve put in the effort needed to succeed.

If so, do you find any parts of what you’re studying interesting, and are you willing to dive deeper into them in the future?

Every career path differs, but they all require you to draw some degree of contentment and satisfaction in the work you do. Not all parts of the winding path will be enjoyable. With those that are, you re-

charge yourself by feeling proud and satisfied; and with those that aren’t, you use stored energy to work through it.

Everyone has different considerations in their university studies. There are financial constraints, familial needs, and various personal issues that can impact your decision on what program you will pursue.

But one thing is certain: when it comes to what you are studying, what you aspire to accomplish, and what you will spend a lot of your life doing, it is your truthful, heartfelt opinion that matters the most.

If you sense that something doesn’t feel right about what you’re studying, don’t ignore it and force yourself to make career switches down the line—you’re not getting any of that time back. Trust what your inner voice has to say, believe in your instincts, and when you’ve decided on what you want to do, give it everything you’ve got to make your dreams come true.

“This year, we all aged two years” A personal story about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

M.A. Contributor This author’s name has been changed to protect their anonymity and for safety.

“T

his year, we all aged two years,” said my best friend on the phone when I told him about my recent nightmare. I was thinking about a year of war before I went to bed, and a nightmare followed these thoughts once again. I woke up in tears and went to write my midterm. The last time I saw my friends was a bit more than a month ago, when I went back home for the winter break.

It was January 2023 when we—Russian youth, children of the 2000s—started comparing ourselves with Soviet dissidents, people who stood against the government and were harshly punished for their actions. The only difference was that we were more timid. Maybe because we already knew what happens to people who oppose the system, maybe because the system was not as bad as it could get yet.

We listened to Ukrainian music but not too loudly, so neighbors couldn’t hear. We found a rare oppositional newspaper, where the word “war” was crossed out in every sentence because of the new, more stringent censorship practices. We looked at these thin pages with red marks instead of words and could not believe our eyes.

I was complaining about how I couldn’t get out of the country to start classes on time because there were no flights. My best friend was complaining that he could be drafted after he graduates, if the war is not over by that time. In the winter of 2023, none of us were delusional, thinking that it could finish soon.

We all had our issues.

Mine were the mildest.

I was wondering if I should switch my antidepressants and cut down my nicotine intake. I started smoking more at home.

Even after my parents left the country, Russia remained my home, possibly because of my grandmother or a few close friends who stayed. I felt that I belonged there more than ever during these dark days. I was still happy to be home. I tried to turn my eyes away from the war propaganda (so my emotions wouldn’t take over) and cherish every moment.

There was a crazy duality in everything. Saint Petersburg: a beautiful city poisoned with militarist lies. A fun place with every type of celebration where you can’t say certain words if you care about your freedom. No matter how scary it became, the city remained my home—the place where I grew up, and where I lived for 19 years of my life.

After my mom left the country, I had a few days in Saint Petersburg on my own. I crashed at a friend’s house—I hated the idea of being home alone and feeling lonely here. I felt more at peace in Canada, but I was just a guest without an invitation, and no rights.

I would say I invited myself to the country when I got into the University of Toronto Mississauga. But Saint Petersburg is my home. I decided I have no right to be lonely here, especially if I came for such a short time.

And I did not.

Now we all feel like home has been taken from us.

We have no control over the situation. In Russia, everyone is just trying to keep up with their lives—trying to take control over small, mundane things. People in power did not ask our opinions about something important. Still, we will do our best to make our voices heard.

OLEKSANDR RATUSHNIAK/REUTERS

06

Changing Leaves: Slow and steady wins the race

Aia Jaber Columnist

I

t’s really easy to compare ourselves to others—how they dress, their intelligence, their jobs, their social lives— and find ourselves feeling like we aren’t where we “should” be. On top of this, social media really doesn’t help to slow down this angry feeling we conjure against ourselves. The truth is, in the most clichéd sense, we don’t know what’s happening in their lives. But more importantly, your present-day wishes might become your future reality, even though it doesn’t feel like life could stop sucking.

I’m at a point in my life where I feel really disappointed in myself. I’ve had to let go of a lot of my goals, including travel plans and a spring 2023 convocation, and honestly, I feel super behind in life. I’m trying to convince myself that I’m not way behind my classmates or my friends, and that I am not a failure incapable of handling any stress.

Burnout isn’t easy to deal with because your mind and body are at complete odds with each other. Your mind tells you to get up, do your assignments weeks early, and complete tasks as soon as they’re given to you. Meanwhile, your body urges you to rest, to stay still, and to not care about a lousy test, assignment, or responsibility at work.

I started off this semester doing all my readings a week early. By the fifth week, I “fell behind” in readings—meaning that I was doing them the week they were meant to be assigned. Saying I felt guilty and stupid is an understatement. My brain tricked me into thinking self-worth must be connected to academic and financial success.

In all honesty, I don’t have it all worked out, and that scares me. But what I’m trying to remember is that we are all on our own journeys. Nobody has written down a law saying we must graduate high school at 18 or that we need to finish university in four years. Nobody said we need to find a job as soon as we graduate and spend the rest of eternity at our nine-to-five.

Life is simply living as well as we can at the pace that is asked of us. What use are we if we’re too tired or scared or paralyzed to function? What use am I if I continue to stress myself out so much that I feel paralyzed from the waist down and am terrified that all my muscles ache to the point where I can’t pull myself out of bed?

If I continue to be angry with myself for not performing as well as I would like to—because I’m burnt out—what use is it if I keep throwing myself into the fire? Not setting aside any time for rest and relaxation is a disservice to myself, and it keeps me further away from my goals.

I’m trying to listen to my body, and right now, I’m forcing myself to do the absolute minimum to pass my classes. Yes, I am upset with myself, and I will be disappointed if I fail, but I know that if I continue on this path, I will never rid myself of the horrible workaholic, anxietyridden lifestyle that I have now.

I hope you learn to be kind to yourself and to cherish your body. You can’t help others or yourself if you are absolutely exhausted.

Reconciling religion with secularism There is beauty in listening to all viewpoints.

Mashiyat Ahmed Staff Writer

>> RELIGION continued from page 01 I believed my species could conquer the world and the woes of the human condition simply through secular thinking and in secularized communities.

I am older now, and perhaps I have a bleaker vision of the world, but my biggest fear for the past couple of years has been the continued obsolescence of religion as a means to understand the human story—to understand ourselves beyond the confines of scientific explanations.

Physical laws and biology are excellent for understanding the external world and who we literally are, but they do not encompass the complexity of the human condition; they remain unsatisfactory in consoling us during times of global or existential conflict, and they are insufficient tools when describing the emotions we feel when immersed in the transcendental beauty of nature.

In other words, religion is powerful because it can get people to a place of emotional connection with the world that science fails to. Moreover, religion allows this to happen in a communal fashion. There need not be a rift between religion and science,

between spirituality and pragmatism. The understanding that most compliments my evolving worldview is that science is the language used to describe and interpret the various features of the world and that religion is the language used to connect us with those features in a distinctly human way. Both are needed to express ourselves and to understand who we are and where we are headed.

For example, death is a scientific inevitability that arises from our biological systems wearing out and eventually failing over time, but will this explanation be enough to save people from the torrent of philosophical and emotional anguish that accompanies the passing of a loved one?

It certainly was not enough for my father.

I realize now that we as people have been finetuned by nature to be conscious of certain things— the passage of time, the lingering of grief, a flourishing desire—more than any other species. So, we need something that no other species has, in order to compensate for such added, sometimes excruciating, abilities. I think that the reductionist and oversimplified approach of many thinkers who discredit religious utility can cause real harm.

As the power of info-technology grows and the advances in bioengineering continue to redefine the course of humanity, it is easier than ever to let wisdom slip through the cracks of change and to fall into nihilism. Therefore, it is more urgent than ever that we hold onto stories of what it means to be wonderfully human—and that includes the stories of religion.

Tia’s declassified goal-setting survival guide Setting goals can be hard and sticking to them can be even harder.

Follow this guide to make reaching your goals easier than ever!

Tia Cummins Contributor

G

oals are important in every aspect of life. They help us to be more productive and work towards our bigger dreams. Everyone has countless goals for themselves, but how often are they actually achieved? The truth of the matter is that nothing gets accomplished without active effort. As self-explanatory as that may sound, the main reason many goals go unachieved is because we don’t actively work towards them. It’s easy to tell ourselves that we are going to complete something, but putting your mind to it and going through the hardships is where reaching your goals can get difficult.

These tips will help you set realistic goals and stay on track to achieve them:

Tip #1 : Decide on your goal The key to reaching your goals lies in the beginning—choosing something that is realistic and attainable. If you want to achieve something big, set multiple smaller goals that will help you work towards your ambition. Be specific about what you want to accomplish and break your goal down into steps that you can easily follow (more on this in Tip #2). Vague goals are hard to keep track of, there is no way to observe clear progress if there is no clear end.

Pro tip: Create steps that build off the previous ones.

Tip #2: Make a timeline Decide on which milestones you want to reach and set specific time goals alongside them. Keep these deadlines realistic and give yourself enough time to complete each step. On the contrary, don’t make things too easy by making time limits longer than they need to be. This process makes it easy to keep yourself on track and make consistent progress. Deadlines act as motivation to keep you working towards your end goal.

Tip #3: Get in the right mindset The only thing stopping you from reaching your goals is yourself. Yes, that is probably the most cliché motivational quote out there; nevertheless, it’s true. Some situations lie out of your control, and obstacles will appear out of nowhere, but if you put your mind to it, none of that will stop you. Getting in the right mindset is the harder aspect of goal setting, as it is easy to get in your own head.

Tip #4: Take action Put your steps and timeline to the test and go achieve something! After taking the time to prepare and plan, all that’s left to do is put it into play. Remember: the only way to make positive changes in your life is by putting consistent effort into your strides for change. Big or small, each achievement helps you work towards the best version of yourself.

Tip #5: Set reminders Set constant reminders that keep you thinking about your end goal. Your phone’s reminder app is a great tool and should be used to your advantage. Use physical objects to help you remember smaller tasks that are easy to forget. If your goal is to drink three litres of water a day, put water bottles in every room of your home.

Bonus tip: Write your goal down on a piece of paper and hang it up in places you frequently see.

Tip #6 : Reward yourself Using a rewards system helps to keep you motivated and continue working towards the goals at hand. Grab a coffee from a fancy café, watch your favourite movie, or get pizza delivered for dinner. You deserve to treat yourself.

Remember, the best way to treat your future self is by putting in effort today, so don’t hold back from working on yourself! Small accomplishments are still progress, so don’t get discouraged. As Karen Lamb once said, “a year from now you may wish you had started today.”

07

features

Editor | Prisha (Maneka) Nuckchady features@themedium.ca

Dennis Lee and No Pain Like This Body The Canadian writer talks about his editorial work on the book with personal remembrances of its author, Harold Sonny Ladoo.

Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor

I

n the spring of 1967, Dennis Lee, a Governor General’s award winner for Englishlanguage poetry, co-founded House of Anansi Press. Anansi has since become a leader in independent Canadian publishing, recently debuting novels by the likes of acclaimed writers Johnathan Garfinkel and Katherena Vermette. In its early days, however, the publisher was, in the words of Lee, “more of a shambling crusade” than a company.

“Dave Godfrey and I decided to [selfpublish] my first poetry collection, ‘Kingdom of Absence’ […] Things could easily have stopped with that, but instead we took another step forward in the fall: doing a second printing of Absence, plus a reprint of Margaret Atwood’s first book, The Circle Game, plus a collection of Dave’s stories, Death Goes Better with Coca Cola,” Lee explains. “The only goal or vision for Anansi was that it would be a writers’ press, where literary quality was the most important thing.”

In keeping with the spirit of that vision, Anansi accepted a manuscript of the enduring novel No Pain Like This Body by late Caribbean writer and University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) graduate of English Literature, Harold Sonny Ladoo. With Lee as its editor, the book was published in 1972.

“When Harold submitted No Pain, it both looked not at all like anything we’d published up till then, and at the same time, it fit in perfectly—a passionate, ground-breaking novel by an exciting, one-of-a-kind new writer,” shares Lee. No Pain Like This Body, one of Ladoo’s two published books, gives readers a sense of Trinidad’s history of indentureship and the near-slavery, poverty, and trauma that it would bring many East Indians—including, as we can only speculate, the socially conscious author himself. “I saw that you made one more among us, dragging old / generations of pain as perpetual fate and landscape, bound / to work through it in words; / and I relaxed,” writes Lee in his elegiac poem named The Death of Harold Ladoo.

In 2022, The Medium published an article wherein I briefly chronicle the life and work of Ladoo. Reading it will tell you that Ladoo arrived in Toronto in 1968 as, like Lee says, “a poor but ambitious immigrant.” Around that time, a spontaneous meeting with Peter Such, former writer-in-residence at UTM (then known as Erindale College), afforded Ladoo a post-secondary education.

Under Such’s guidance, Ladoo and his writing would see transformative change.

Seemingly overnight, he went from being a rather ineffective Victorian-inspired poet to a one-to-watch-out-for fiction writer. But

Ladoo had a short-lived career. He returned to his home island of Trinidad in August of 1973 only to be murdered over presumably a familial property dispute. The case of his death remains officially unsolved.

“When Harold submitted No Pain, it both looked not at all like anything we’d published up till then, and at the same time, it fit in perfectly—a passionate, groundbreaking novel by an exciting, one-of-akind new writer.”

“I don’t remember how I first heard about it, but I do recall being stopped dead in my tracks,” Lee says regarding the moment he received news of Ladoo’s death. “I remember

HOUSE OF ANANSI PRESS INC

listening to a tribute to Harold on the CBC, some months later, and being moved by the East Indian music they played,” he adds. Lee shares that he managed to get a copy of the record and frequently played it for a while afterwards to remember his “deeply serious, committed, [and driven]” friend.

Lee met Ladoo in 1971 at a Toronto pub called The Red Lion, next to an Anansi office on Jarvis Street—a meeting that’s recreated in the opening pages of The Death of Harold Ladoo. “Was he bringing the manuscript in for the first time? Had I read it, and felt enough enthusiasm for the first draft to want to meet?

I can’t summon back the details now—it was half a century ago—but the account of that first meeting in the poem is trustworthy— about what he looked like, and how he spoke,” Lee says. “Very thin, deferential at first, then a mounting intensity that became charismatic.”

When asked about the editing process for No Pain Like This Body, Lee responds: “[Harold] didn’t take orders from me, and I didn’t

want him to. But I did challenge him on some things—particularly the structure of the book, I believe. His ear for the creole dialect the book is written in was already magical, and of course, that was all foreign to me. So, I had nothing to contribute in that area—and nothing was needed […] I remember a sense of mounting excitement as we worked on it and he did some amazing revision, and the thunderclap power of the story got freed up.”

Ladoo dedicated “No Pain Like This Body” to Shirley Gibson. At the time of the novel’s release, Gibson was the estranged wife of Graeme Gibson, a celebrated Canadian novelist who was then engaging with Margaret Atwood, his partner until he died in 2019.

“Shirley was the ‘Office Manager’ of our tiny staff, and she could be very warm and competent, so she was sort of the den mother of this makeshift, off-balance little enterprise when Harold hooked up with us,” Lee recalls.

“I imagine she helped him with some of the questions and amenities that a newcomer would need.”

In 1974, Anansi posthumously published “Yesterdays,” Ladoo’s second novel—a ragefuelled comedy exploring the effects of Canadian mission work on East Indian indentured labourers. By then, Lee had left Anansi and stayed sporadically in touch with Ladoo.

“My next main engagement with him would be writing ‘The Death of Harold Ladoo’ several years later,” he says. “It turns out that the initial, self-appointed task—of writing a standard-issue elegy of praise and grief, like a speech at a funeral or a memorial service—is papering over a much more complex relationship to the deceased.”

The poem opens with an articulation of deeply buried feelings that enter the speaker’s consciousness through an explosion of grief. Initially expressed in over-the-top and savage statements that actually don’t have any destructive power, the speaker’s pain is sometimes misread to the detriment of not only Harold’s character, but also the two’s relationship and the environment in which they met.

“To zero in on one of these initial, overthe-top expressions of anger or disillusionment, and declare it to be what Lee ‘really thinks’ of Harold Ladoo, or the Anansi years, or himself makes for good tabloid copy, but completely misunderstands what’s going on in the poem,” Lee says. “There are these heavy-duty pendulum swings of feeling in the course of the elegy, but their overall effect is to arrive at a richer place of understanding […] The speaker comes to accept that Harold had serious flaws as well as extraordinary virtues—and the world doesn’t come to an end,” he explains.

The latest revision of The Death of Harold Ladoo can be found in Heart Residence (2017), a collection of poems by Lee.

08

On the role of exprocity in effective team performance Professor Chiuzi shares why exprocity is the secret to high-performing teams and employee satisfaction.

Ruth Baker Contributor

W

hat impacts a team’s performance? Professor Rafael Chiuzi from the University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Department of Management set out to answer this question during his Lecture Me! Talk, titled “Exprocity!

The Surprising Science Behind Effective Team Performance.”

Professor Chiuzi’s expertise in team performance comes from his 15 years of experience as an organizational psychologist. He has delivered two Ted Talks and is a professor of organizational behaviour and human resource management at the UTM. Psychological contracts have the power to frame long-term relationships. This is why it’s important to understand expectations. “Expectations happen every day, but they don’t all impact us the same,” notes Professor Chiuzi. In his talk, Professor Chiuzi references one of his own studies on workplace relationships, which found that once employees understood their manager’s expectations, team performance improved. Employees felt they had more autonomy at work. “Teams that didn’t have a

HANNAH BUSING/UNSPLASH

clear understanding of expectations found that employees waited for their boss to make decisions,” shares Professor Chiuzi. These teams had the lowest level of satisfaction with their leaders and experienced competition between co-workers.

“Most people think having good communication is what makes team performance optimal, but teams with lower level performance actually communicate very often. It wasn’t that [employers] didn’t communicate; it was that they didn’t communicate the expectations to team members. Employees did not understand their contribution to performance,” stresses Professor Chuizi.

Reciprocity is an underlying factor affecting team performance. Team members expect fa-

vours to be returned. Reciprocity has a major impact on social life—it keeps relationships stable and creates long-lasting social ties.

Exprocity is a combination of the words “expectations” and “reciprocity.” Professor Chiuzi shares an equation to measure exprocity: reciprocity multiplied by expectations equals perceived obligation. In this case, perceived obligation represents the opportunities given to an employee for their good work, such as promotions, pay raises, autonomy, and respect. The higher the expectations, the greater the team member’s perceived obligation.

“Managers thinking they should be respected because of job titles are mistaken,” argues Professor Chiuzi. Team members expect leaders to reciprocate. This helps employers build credibility. High-performing teams operate in a system of give-and-take. Some may ask why some managers don’t exercise exprocity. This is because these employers may not know that reciprocity leads to great team performance or are afraid to try, which can lead a team to become transactional.

“If you want to include exprocity within your team, discuss expectations with team members.

People aren’t mind readers,” emphasizes Professor Chiuzi. He advises discussing aspects of a team that people usually don’t talk about before

the issues come up, such as how to deal with conflicting opinions or how to communicate with each other.

He also recommends that the leader gives first, especially when empowering a new team member to go beyond expectations. When taking on a new role as a leader, always get to know your team. New leaders should find out what their employees’ relationships with their previous manager were like, whether the relationship was transactional and why, and so on.

Asking questions will take being vulnerable and brave, which will be worth your team’s performance in the long run. Professor Chuizi advises team members who want to bring up exprocity with their boss to question whether the leader knows about the concept. He stresses that we must acknowledge that some people will never engage in relationships relying on exprocity. In that case, the team member has two options: quit or become transactional.

But for Professor Chuizi, exprocity is what leads to amazing team performance. His talk illuminates that exprocity does not just affect teams in a work setting. Rather, it applies to any case that involves building excellent relationships, including class projects.

“Expectations are much more than what might happen—they shape reality,” he finishes.

Making money in museums: A future of greed Despite museums’ efforts to break barriers, the return of two-tiered pricing may bring the industry back to its elitist past.

Sierra Peca Contributor

T

he year is 2023. Imagine that Vincent van Gogh or Leonardo da Vinci rose from the dead and walked into a museum. What would they see? What would they think? Van Gogh would witness his art projected onto walls, ten times the size he intended for them to be viewed. He’d hear about the cost of walking into an immersive art experience and think that it’s absurd that people pay to see not his art, but digital images of it. Da Vinci would wonder why no one actually looked at his paintings, but just stood in front of them and took photos before leaving without a second glance. Maybe he’d even ask why so many people had access to view his work.

Historically, museums held elitist identities. 500 years ago, they started as private collections. Wealthy patrons and collectors dedicated rooms to artwork as symbols of their wealth and worldliness. It was a chance for visitors to “exhibit their knowledge and taste,” shares Carole Paul in an interview with the University of California Newsroom. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, art museums opened across Europe. As museums upheld their elitist past, visitors were expected to have wealth, status, and knowledge. Thus, visitors were often those beholding education in the arts, as the purpose of museums was not to educate the public, but to show off their art collections to those who understood the art’s context.

Now, museums are different. Art museums around the world are working to dismantle the elitist perspectives that are engrained in their foundations. Museums attempt to educate, enable more widely inclusive access to art, and create exhibitions

that can be understood from the contemporary perspective.

While these developments are true, museums’ drive to make money from their visitors have not changed. In an interview, art historian and interim chair of U of T’s Art History department, Giancarla Periti, notes that “issues differ for North American and European museums.” When discussing the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, Dr. Periti shares that there are two ways to enter the museum. First, you can buy a general admission ticket that requires you to wait in line for hours before entering. Second, you can pay more for an express ticket to bypass the line. Previously, the Uffizi Gallery held dedicated days for scholars, who could enter the museum free of charge. This policy has now been removed. Despite upholding the elitist identities of the past, the institution still averages around 5,000 visitors per day.

This greed for money is not exempt from North American art institutions, as we see a rise in immersive art-viewing experiences. Tickets for the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in Toronto

ASCANNIO/ADOBESTOCK

cost anywhere from $30 for children to $100 for VIPs. By contrast, adults only pay $20 to view a real van Gogh painting at the National Gallery of Canada. Dr. Periti describes the issues of the current wave of projected art: that viewers will “lose the physical presence of the piece.” She explains that viewing the original work “is the only way a work of art that doesn’t speak can speak to you.”

Why do museums feel the need to make more and more money? Greed is one answer. But Dr. Periti explains that privatization is another. For example, Dr. Periti shares that in Italy, the institutions “used to be government-run and redistributed income equally.” Now, museums must fund themselves to pay for the restoration of both artworks and the building. They must make enough money to compete with other tourist sites while supporting their own infrastructure.

Imagine now that the year is 2050. Van Gogh and da Vinci make a return to visit museums. What money-making techniques will be implemented? They may see projected ads on walls surrounding their art. Prices would skyrocket due to new tech costs. But somehow, everyone would still be visiting museums just to say they did it. Maybe their most famed artwork will require an extra fee from visitors, just so that they can continue to stand in front of it and take photos that will end up on whatever social media app is trending. Van Gogh might walk into an immersive experience, and instead of viewing his art, people will stand next to his hologram in his projected studio.

Da Vinci might gawk at the projected smile placed on his painting of the Mona Lisa and watch as people paid to create a new digital smile to sit atop it.

Maybe the future of museums won’t be too different from the present. The problems will be the same, but they’ll just be more noticeable.

09

Arts

Editor | Julia Skoczypiec arts@themedium.ca

Creating new content at UTM’s Theatre Erindale Zoë Bonk, a Theatre and Drama Studies third-year, speaks about the ins and outs of devised theatre.

Kaitlyn Harris Contributor

A

s I sat in the dark studio of Theatre Erindale, a glowing hand emerged from the curtains and proceeded to instruct the audience on how to repair a squeaky shoe.

In the hour that followed, an ogre ate a giant pie, puppets went on dates, and the ensemble serenaded the crowd while simultaneously flipping the audience off. From start to finish, the third-year 2023 Devised Project allowed creativity to rule over logic in the most entertaining way possible.

All this irreverent fun was born from the concept of devised theatre, a collaborative style of theatre that relies on the contributions of its creative team for theme and direction.

Each year, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Theatre and Drama Studies (TDS) third-year students use this method to write, produce, and perform their own original show. So, what does it take to turn a concept into a full-blown production? To answer this question, I spoke with cast member and TDS third-year, Zoë Bonk.

“The difference between a typical show’s rehearsal process and the devised process is that you’re actually creating the work as you go along—so you’re starting from scratch,” she explained.

This year, under the guidance of director Brian Postalian, the cast engaged in a series

of exploratory activities united by the theme of “A Thousand Meanings.” Through short, improvised scenes, each actor explored how different gestures, movements, lighting, and props could open new interpretive spaces and serve as building blocks for larger segments. “It helped that we had rehearsals every single day, so we could always come back with something new and think about what we had done and what we wanted to pursue,” said Bonk.

By refining ideas, the third-year actors had an exercise in collaboration—creating cohesive segments from many perspectives.

“Relatively early on in the process, after we had done some exploration work, we were asked one day as our homework to come in with a proposal,” Bonk recalled. “[We prepared] something we wanted to explore—a sequence, a skit, a sketch—something that we wanted to take a look at.”

According to Bonk, her cast mates brought many ideas and props to the table.

Kaleigh Croft brought a lit-up umbrella and a twisted fairy-tale. Meaghan Dias and Sean Lee

each played with the effects of repetition and intonation, while a tense beachfront scene came from Allie Waddel and Mia Pagliaroli.

Postalian then helped the cast to apply the Critical Response Process—a method used by theatre artists when receiving and providing feedback. By asking questions and exploring their content in precise details, Bonk said that they would collectively “come up with what [they] had really responded to.” Some sketches went through up to four versions—led by various cast members—before reaching their final form. “A devised piece is constantly evolving, but that too was a group process,” Bonk added.

When it came time to figure out an order for these seemingly disjointed pieces, a sequence emerged from the pace and feeling of each individual skit. Bonk stated that “some things kind of felt natural.” She pointed to the entire cast’s involvement in the opening scene as a crucial factor for its placement in the play’s timeline and explained that Croft’s lighted umbrella scene became the play’s emotional climax.

To fill in the middle, a whiteboard and some sticky notes were in order.

“We actually had a por-

tion of rehearsal where we sat down for a good half an hour and we were just like, ‘Okay, where do we feel like this piece goes?’ And we all offered our opinions and our reasoning behind it to create this timeline together,” said Bonk. The result was an arrangement of sketches, motifs, and variations on the project’s central theme that was as captivating as they were unpredictable.

So, after seeing the Devised Project go from conception to performance, what stands out about the devising process? Bonk credits the exploration and collaboration inherent in the method as her major takeaways.

“This isn’t a story we’re telling, really, it’s a show with a thousand different meanings where the audience is going to come up with their own way of feeling about it,” said Bonk.

Many called this year’s Devised Project performance a stand-out year. “To have the audience respond so warmly and so positively to something that you and some of your closest friends have collaborated on, and really poured your heart and soul into, it’s an incredible feeling and it’s such a gift,” Bonk concluded.

Even though devising a show takes much trial and error, the outcome is a rewarding piece of collective art. While the next Devised Project lies with the minds of next year’s TDS third-year students, be sure to venture to Theatre Erindale for their current main stage production, Alcestis. Tickets can be found at www.tickets.sheridancollege.ca.

ZOË BONK

Let your freak flag fly—an outlook on art therapy People have been expressing themselves through art for centuries, and you can too.

Alex Johnson Contributor

W

hen most people hear the term “art therapy,” they might envision a painting circle from a movie, set in the psychiatric wing of some otherwise entirely white hospital. Others might imagine a middle-aged mother of four completing a colouring book filled with linework and paisley patterns. Neither of these ideas are inherently wrong, but they lack the nuance associated with “art therapy.”

Throughout the ages, the practice has split into two branches: art therapy and expressive art therapy. Art therapy is music, paintings, sculptures, dances, and other mediums made entirely for the purpose of evaluation. This aligns with the “painting circle.” In such a session, a psychiatrist might look at your painting and say that you used an excess of red in the foreground because you are feeling a certain way. This type of exercise is used for communication, wherein you might be able to express emotions to your therapist that you couldn’t quite put into words. Your work of art is dissected and analyzed until the complex thoughts behind every choice are laid out in front of you.

Expressive art therapy, on the other hand, is making art for the sake of making art. The purpose is to use the aforementioned

art forms to express yourself to a group of your peers without restriction or judgement. While art therapy is meant to help in an evaluation, expressive art therapy is meant to give the creators a voice. When you have something to say but are finding it difficult to express your feelings in words, rather than speaking with a therapist, you express your thoughts to a group of people who are there to listen and share in turn. This is the kind of art therapy that aligns with the “colouring book” example.

The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) Career Centre is currently offering expressive art therapy workshops in their Crossroads program. Students are encouraged to attend various events and to express themselves with as little fear of pushback as they can manage. Instructors motivate attendees to be loud and

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

unapologetic—as part of the experience is to listen and share as openly as possible.

Art is an unabashedly human experience. For millennia, we’ve been painting animals on cave walls and trying to capture sunsets on canvases. We’ve been singing songs around campfires and telling moving stories through nothing but a few simple movements across a grand stage. From primitive handprints to the Mona Lisa, art serves but one function: to give the artist a voice. Art lets us say, “I was here. I am just like you.”

You don’t need to speak the same language as an artist to understand the tears they paint on a canvas or to appreciate their smile as they dance. Art builds community. It is an aspect of life filled with self-expression. People speak, people listen, and they become connected in a way that transcends time and space.

The therapeutic use of the arts is slowly being studied. As such, art therapy is gradually becoming more accessible. As with all forms of therapy, art will be ultimately restricted by the number of professionals available to conduct sessions. Expressive art therapy, on the other hand, is only limited by the number of people willing to gather together and make art together. And, as history has proven, art will always be in human nature.

It is up to us to take the next step—to connect with those around us and be unafraid of making noise, no matter what attention it might attract. After all, the noise is only a sign that we are alive, and that we have something to say.

10

Serial killers—pop culture’s newest entertainers How the true crime media market thrives on hyper-consumption.

Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor

>> SERIAL KILLERS continued from page 01 He was sentenced to 16 consecutive life terms for 17 of his known murders.

According to People magazine, Peters “sincerely hopes something good comes out of [the show].” Shirley Hughes, mother to a Dahmer victim, publicly criticized his Golden Globes win, as the surviving family members of Dahmer’s victims have “never seen a dime” from such series’ profits.

In an article published two days after the awards ceremony, Hughes told TMZ: “There’s a lot of sick people around the world, and people winning acting roles from playing killers keeps the obsession going and this makes sick people thrive on the fame.” What obsession is she talking about? The mainstream production and, might I add, habitual consumption of the true crime genre.

According to criminologist and Associate Professor Rebecca Scott Bray at the University of Sydney (USYD), “from what was once considered late-night low brow entertainment,” true crime podcasts, tv shows, films, and the like have garnered critical acclaim for helping at-home audiences understand dark psychology and criminal law.

“We’ve reached a point where people are no longer satisfied with reading, watching, or listening to true crime,” she says in a 2018 online news post. “They want to understand criminality and play an active part in how the justice system responds to crimes.” Are you watching and listening to true crime media to examine criminal behaviour and assess the shortcomings of law enforcement? Bray’s writing was basically an advertisement for USYD’s Criminology minor program that was being introduced at the time.

While some people’s intellects might feed their murder media diets, unless you’re actually studying criminology, forensic science, law, and what have you, may I be so bold in suggesting that we willfully tour the twisted worlds of deeply psychopathic minds because it’s simply thrilling?

Yes, we’ve reached a point where people are no longer satisfied with reading, watching, or listening to true crime. They want to talk about it with others to experience the kind of shock, intrigue, and recreational fun that was once specific to daily gossip circles.

True crime and horror entertainment experiences are a lot alike. Conventional horror film leitmotifs—the abnormal, gore, the infliction of pain, death, darkness—are present in true crime shows and films as well. To support the presentation of these themes, both genres use cinematic elements to create feelings of anxiety and anticipation.

Where a horror film might present suspenseful scenes and close-ups on door handles (“who’s trying to get in?!”), a true crime story is organized into a docuseries to achieve the same effect. An episode ends with unanswered questions that get settled in the next. The episodic TV structure, in other words, stretches out the narrative and thereby holds captive the attention of viewership.

In a 2019 review on research about what motivates us to watch scary movies, Dr. G Neil Martin, an honorary professor of Psychology at Regent’s University London in the United Kingdom, took note of an experiment that saw 60 children beneath the age of 10 appreciate suspenseful programs. Behavioural scientists say individuals prefer to watch movies that “maintain or maximize pleasurable states and achieve optimal levels of arousal.” Measurements of the children’s skin temperatures and heart rates declined when the suspense resolved.

According to an article published in the Journal of Communication in 2014, negative features of a film or TV show also steadily engage our cognitive and emotional selves.

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

Though not pleasurable to view for most people, violence, for example—especially when it’s based on true stories and born of human actions—leads to self-reflection and “social gratifications, such as bonding while viewing intensely disturbing material.” True crime, it can be argued, is an indirect route to pleasure.

In 2022, NBC’s long-running sketch comedy show, Saturday Night Live (SNL), released a satiric music video that jokes about today’s casual viewing of murder shows. “Two sisters got killed on a cruise in the Bahamas, I’m going to half watch it while I fold my pajamas,” sings one SNL cast member. “Severed limbs found on a beach in Chula Vista, but I just kinda stare while I eat a piece of pizza,” sings another.

In the face of all the thrills that true crime clearly delivers, perhaps we run the risk of treating the genre as some compendium of cautionary tales or far-off narratives that could never personally touch us. Anyone can fall into the kind of grief that afflicts Mrs. Hughes when the story of her son’s death is picturized and made available through 24/7 streaming platforms. By virtue of our inherently broken human nature, many of us are capable of producing enough evil that would cause such a fall, too.

Redefining the audience of animated movies Looking at how new animated releases compare with beloved childhood classics.

Yusuf Larizza-Ali Staff Writer

S

ince childhood, we hold animated movies close to our hearts. These classic films feature breathtaking visuals and include beautiful storylines and characters that often do not age. Some of my favourite animated pictures—like the Toy Story collection (1995-2019), Megamind (2010), Wreck-It Ralph (2012), and The Lego Movie (2014)— are still as enjoyable today as they were when I was a child. However, these movies are often downplayed due to a belief that “animation is just for kids.” This is not true.

Animation is a complex method used in film to create visually appealing stories.

Traditionally, throughout the 20th century, animators would hand draw images and picture segments that allowed for film makers to create moving characters. With stop motion, animators were able to create 2D or 3D images that seemed to move by themselves.

With the rise of modern technologies, computer-generated animation appeared, digitalizing animation to allow for the creation of 3D images using software. With the first Toy Story movie in 1995, Pixar accomplished the first fully 3D, computer-made animated film. As technologies continue to develop,

animation techniques continue to become more intricate.

There have been many animated films and television series created for adult audiences. Some examples include Sausage Party (2016), Anomalisa (2015), as well as countless Japanese features. These cartoons are rated R and deal with subject matter that is certainly inappropriate for children. However, the movies that I loved as a child still resonate with me more than these animated pictures created for adults.

I find that newer animated motion pictures that are made for kids cannot compare to older ones. The Toy Story series portrays themes of moving on, jealousy, and the fact that one day, childhood will be over—an idea

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

that stays in the minds of adult viewers more than children. But, the franchise’s newest release, Lightyear (2022), was one of Pixar’s biggest flops. While the movie’s animation is beautiful, it fails in the story-telling department, with an incomprehensible plot twist, annoying characters, and bad humour. In my opinion, Lightyear perfectly showcases the difference in quality between many old and newer animated features. While the animation on more modern films is usually better, they lack the stories and heart that made older ones so enjoyable.

Megamind appears silly on the surface, just like any other superhero parody flick.

However, its story deals with incredible themes and intriguing ideas—such as the nature versus nurture debate, the importance of companionship, and the question of “what happens when you get what you’ve always wanted?” In comparison, one of DreamWorks latest releases, The Boss Baby (2017), also appears silly at surface level.

However, its plot and humour revolve only around the funny image of a baby who acts like an adult—the story has no depth.

For many, The Lego Movie is a quintessential film that appears to be a soulless cash grab. However, like Megamind, it juggles the importance of political themes and places importance on perseverance. On the other contrary, The Emoji Movie (2017) tried to ac-

complish what Lego did but ended up being worse—with annoying characters, unamusing humour, product placement that dominated the storyline, and even low-quality animation.

Finally, Wreck-It Ralph, like some other films, encompasses the premise of living video game figures. However, its characters are incredibly relatable. The plot also features a unique villain that is well curated and deeper than just “the guy that you thought was good who is actually evil.” Unfortunately, the film’s sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), does not live up to the predecessor. The creators drop the video game world in favour of the internet—which is unfortunate, because video games were the main theme in the first film. Also, like The Emoji Movie, the film is plagued with product placement, taking away from the overall storyline and character development.

In my opinion, all the new releases I’ve spoken about are overly targeted towards children—leaving out adult audiences.

While the older films that I mentioned were intended for kids as well, the creators added more elements that older audiences could also enjoy. Ultimately, parents are going to watch these films as much as their kids are.

While there’s nothing wrong with marketing something for kids, when it comes to animation, adults should also be considered.

11

sports & health

UTM men’s Tri-Campus hockey team plays for campus reputation After a glorious win this season, the Eagles are ready to prove their place in the playoffs.

Omar Khan Columnist

UTM RAWC

T

he University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) men’s Tri-Campus hockey team is in the midst of a successful but trying season.

Brought into a system of play by coaches Phil Power and Peter Christopoulos, the team is currently preparing for the playoffs, where anything can happen.

From day one, Power and Christopoulos have been willing to put in as much effort and time as the team needs. When a team is presented with coaches who draw up plays, drive to the rink, design a winning structure, and put passion and energy into the game, the players are motivated to match that energy and strive for greatness in the form of a championship win.

Captain Hussam Abdulnabi, a PhD student who’s been on the team for several years, is an incredibly passionate and motivating force on the team. According to his teammates, Abdulnabi is always equipped with an uplifting speech and will do anything to get 100 per cent out of every person on the team.

Coaches and captains set the tone for the season and play a huge role in the success of their teams.

The Eagles have something to prove. It’s a common misconception that UTM is a lesser campus than St. George when it comes to athletic talent. UTM might be smaller, but it deserves the same respect as the University’s other campuses. This is what the Eagles set out to prove in their games against the St. George teams.

In UTM’s first game against St. George Black, the status and reputation of the campus was put on the line. St. George Black is a fierce team that was a heavy favourite and a top contender for the championship win before the season began. However, on February 1, 2023, UTM beat St. George Black by a score of 3-2. This win jolted the team and made the players realize that if they can beat St. George Black, they can beat anyone—and if they can beat anyone, they can be champions.

As great as UTM is, no road to winning is smooth. On February 5, 2023, the Eagles held a private team meeting following a brutal loss to Scarborough in UTM’s first ever home game. This was a tough loss, and one that the team needed to learn from quickly. In that meeting, the players had a chance to share their thoughts and opinions on how to grow as a team, how to bounce back from such a loss, and what direction they want the team to move in. The players and coaches took the meeting to reset, recharge, and reload for the playoffs, which are scheduled to start in March.

As the season has gone on, it has become glaringly obvious that this hockey team has a great opportunity in front of it—to not only win and become champions, but to earn the respect of other campuses for the whole UTM community.

Editor | Alisa Samuel sports@themedium.ca

12

Yin yoga: this slow-paced ancient practice offers a sense of relaxation and calm As both a certified yoga and meditation instructor, I teach the new weekly yin yoga classes at the RAWC on Sunday afternoons. specifically focus on strengthening connective tissues in areas such as the fascia, liga-

Alanna Sethi Contributor

S

wami Satchidananda, the founder of Integral Yoga, once said: “Calming the mind is yoga, not just standing on the head.” What does yoga mean? From the Western perspective, yoga is a movement-based practice that reduces stress and improves flexibility. There are, however, non-physical forms of yoga, such as volunteering without attachment to results (karma yoga), or love and devotion to your family or religious faith (bhakti yoga). The foundational physical practice of yoga is called hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is a moderately paced, movement-based yoga that drives most stretch classes in gyms or studios.

One style of hatha yoga is yin yoga, a practice with roots in both India and China. Unlike other styles of movement-based yoga which target body muscles, yin yoga poses

ments, and tendons. This is done by holding poses for around 3 to 5 minutes or longer, in an introspective practice for both the mind and body.

The knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine informs the healing benefits of yin yoga practices. In traditional Chinese medicine, a lifeforce energy known as “Qi” flows through different meridian pathways in the body. These pathways flow along different lines of the body, and therefore can be targeted using different postures to stimulate energy flow. Deficiencies or excess energy in certain pathways can lead to negative health outcomes, from physical pains like back aches and stomach problems to emotional problems like anger and excessive worry.

Additionally, when discussing yin yoga, it is important to note the balance between yin and yang in the nature of human life—with yin being the quiet, calm, and grounded half, and yang being the loud, active, and temperamental half. Depending on your personal lifestyle, there may

be a difference in what your body needs from a yoga practice. Scientific research conducted

by Professor Norman Farb from the University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Psychology Department shows benefits in improving sustained attention and mood with mindful types of yoga.

At UTM’s Recreational, Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC), students are offered the opportunity to explore a physical practice in yoga, with yang classes in hatha yoga and yogilates, and yin classes through yin yoga and meditation.

There are no requirements to practice any type of yoga, just an open mind and a readiness to explore and learn. Share any injuries or concerns you may have with the instructor at the start of the class to ensure they can best support you.

If you’re interested in attending my yin yoga classes at the RAWC, please feel free to email further enquiries about the class or about yoga and meditation to alanna.sethi@ mail.utoronto.ca.

DANE WETTON/UNSPLASH

Toronto Blue Jays: Previewing the 2023 Major League Baseball season Will off-season moves help Canada’s team take the next step in 2023?

Kaitlyn Harris Contributor

F

our short months ago, I stood in front of a TV screen at Pearson Airport alongside a hundred of my closest friends. Passport checks and flight gates were put on hold as we watched our beloved Toronto Blue Jays earn—and subsequently lose—a seven-run lead against the Seattle Mariners in the deciding game of the American League Wild Card Series. The crowd was shocked by what turned out to be one of the worst playoff collapses in recent memory—and in this city, that’s truly saying something. After such a disappointing end to the 2022 season, what comes next for the Blue Jays?

As spring training opened on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida, some familiar faces made their return to the baseball diamond. All-star slugger and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a one-year, $14.5 million contract extension this off-season. After a lengthy negotiation period, shortstop Bo Bichette also avoided arbitration by signing a three-year deal worth $11.2 million per season. Ace Alek Manoah and closer Jordan Romano will both be back for 2023.

With management spending big to keep this young core together, it appears the time is

now for the Blue Jays to take a serious run at the World Series.

Despite General Manager Ross Atkins’ commitment to his young stars, the 2023 iteration of the Blue Jays will look different from past years. Gone are fan-favourites Teoscar Hernández and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., whose absences will be felt both on the field and in the dugout. Their positions will be filled by new acquisitions Kevin Kiermaier and Daulton Varsho, who bring stellar defensive numbers and some much-needed lefty bats to the lineup. A Platinum Glove winner in centre field, Kiermaier looks to shift the oft-injured George Springer to right field, while Varsho takes over duties in left. Though the newcomers have less offensive up-

side than their predecessors, improved play in the outfield will surely propel the Blue Jays back to the playoffs and beyond.

This increased emphasis on defense comes at a time of significant question marks surrounding the team’s pitching staff. After Manoah and Kevin Gausman, the starting rotation quickly descends into uncertainty.

Can José Berrìos regain his consistency after a season of volatile results? Will Yusei Kikuchi finally figure out his fastball command?

And when will Hyun-Jin Ryu return from last year’s elbow surgery? The off-season departure of Ross Stripling places no small amount of pressure on these players to find their games. If the Blue Jays are to succeed in a tough American League East divi-

sion, they’ll need to find quality starts on a regular basis.

In the bullpen, a couple of slight moves addressed what was formerly a weak spot for the Jays. Anthony Bass pitched well for the team at the end of last season, and recent addition Erik Swanson promises another high leverage option with mid-range fastball velocity. By recording more strikeouts in the late innings, the team will lock down more games and hopefully avoid a repeat of last year’s epic collapse. Keep a particular eye on Romano, who exploded onto the scene in 2021 and is looking to bounce back from playoff disappointment with another career year. He already sits 7th all-time in team saves, and projects to finish the season as high as 5th if he remains healthy.

With a well-rounded lineup and plenty of intrigue to start the season, now is an exciting time to be a Blue Jays fan. Adding to the buzz is a new look for the Rogers Centre, which is in the midst of a $300 million overhaul. Renovations include improved social spaces, raised bullpens, and asymmetrical field dimensions, creating a unique experience for casual viewers and die-hard fans alike. As summer comes to Toronto, it will certainly be worth taking in a Blue Jays game live. The season begins on March 30, 2023, and Canadian baseball fans can only hope it will last well into October.