Volume 49, Issue 21

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

Issue 21 Volume 49

March 13 2023

themedium.ca

PLAYING HARD TO GET

DEAR PLASTIC BOTTLE

POST-FUNERAL DANCE

Your heart has been in your stomach all day, waiting for a text back from you know who. You love talking to them and are so excited to talk to someone new. Ding! You hear the sound that makes your heart sink even lower—a new notification.

It’s strange to think that every plastic bottle we’ve collectively used is still floating around somewhere on this earth, but that’s the unfortunate truth. Whether we look at a bottle of water today versus five, 10, or 20 years down the line.

Alisa Samuel, a student in the Professional Writing and Communication (PWC) program at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), is The Medium’s Sports & Health Editor and author of the chapbook Post-Funeral Dance.

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>> read more on page 08

>> read more on page 10

NEWS

“Acknowledge. Align.

Act.”: UTM’s fourth annual Sustainability Week begins Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor

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rom March 13 to 17, 2023, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) will be holding its fourth Sustainability Week. To help start the programming, U of T professors Shashi Kant, Stephen Scharper, Andrea Olive, and Blake Poland will bring their collective health and environmental expertise to lead a panel discussion called “Love + Sustainability.” >> SUSTAINABILITY WEEK continues on page 02

SAMIRA KARIMOVA/THE MEDIUM

NEWS

SPORTS

Zero Hour: The Horn of Africa is facing its worst drought in recent history

Aidan Thompson: From reluctant child athlete to university sports competitor Kaitlyn Harris Contributor

Mihail Cubata Associate News Editor

S

evere droughts that began in 2020 have affected 36.4 million people across Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, according to data from the United Nations’ (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). As reported by the OCHA, more than 21.7 million people in the area are facing “acute food insecurity,” with more than 23 million facing water insecurity. The office estimates that over seven million children are suffering from severe malnutrition.

The Horn of Africa typically has two rainy seasons a year, one from March to May and the other from October to December. This rainfall is critical to the survival of many people in the region, where almost 80 per cent of the population consists of subsistence farmers—crops harvested and livestock raised are used to meet the farmer’s food consumption needs.

But the past five rainy seasons have provided insufficient rainfall to sustain local crops, with some areas receiving rainfall 200 millimeters below the historical average between March and September 2022. Crops in East Africa typically require at least 250 millimeters of rain to grow, yet the Horn of Africa received 127 millimeters of average rainfall in October, November, and December 2022. >> ZERO HOUR continues on page 04

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or University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) student-athlete Aidan Thompson, and Copy Editor for The Medium, the beginning of March means more than final papers and exams. It’s the month of the U of T tricampus ice hockey playoffs—a chance to renew rivalries between the school’s three branches as Mississauga, Scarborough, and St. George teams face each other in a five-month competitive season. Currently chasing a championship for UTM, Thompson’s path to this moment wasn’t exactly straightforward.

“I think I started [playing hockey] kind of late, compared to most people,” he says of his introduction to the sport. “I remember my parents bought me a set of hockey equipment and signed me up for these training camps when I was eight years old, and I cried the whole time—I didn’t want to be there.”

After some encouragement from his friends and family, Thompson started minor ice hockey at age 11 and didn’t look back. Through both local and school-affiliated teams, he evolved into a versatile player who could slot into the lineup in multiple positions. But the prospect of aging out of minor hockey seemed to signal the end of that evolution.

“After I graduated high school, I’d come to the realization that I would probably never play organized sports again,” he recalls. “It was kind of sad.”

It wasn’t until midway through his first year at UTM that Thompson discovered the UTM tri-campus men’s ice hockey league. After happening upon a poster advertising Eagles hockey, he decided to email head coach Phil Power to see if there was any possibility of joining the team.

“Knowing that it was the middle of the season, I didn’t have my hopes too high,” Thompson says, but an injury to one of the Eagles’ roster players opened up an opportunity, allowing him to step in as a fifth-string defenseman. Then, after only two months of limited ice time, his hockey career was once again put on hold, this time by Covid-19 restrictions.

Like all tri-campus sports, men’s ice hockey was cancelled throughout the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons. A full two years passed before Thompson, now in his fourth year, received a message from Power asking if he was interested in returning to the team.

His answer? “Absolutely.”

A grueling tryout followed the long layoff. “We were just huffing and puffing and gasping for air, pretty much by the 10th minute,” Thompson laughs. >> AIDAN THOMPSON continues on page 12

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NEWS

Editor | Larry Lau news@themedium.ca

“Acknowledge. Align. Act.”: UTM’s fourth annual Sustainability Week begin With an array of events and initiatives, Sustainability Week encourages the UTM community to drive collaborative social, economic, and environmental change.

Alisa Samuel Sports & Health Editor >> Sustainability Week continued from page 01 “When we’re thinking about love, you think about the love you have for your family, your friends, your pets, but what happens when the external [world around us] is not receiving that same amount of love?” asks Michelle Atkinson, the sustainability projects and engagement coordinator for the Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) program at UTM, in conversation with The Medium. “Each of [the panelists] will have an opportunity to speak about the intersection of sustainability and love from their own perspective.”

“We want this panel to be something that is accessible to anyone, but we also want it to be a deeply meaningful conversation for anyone attending who has known [Barbara Murck] and [Rose Mary Craig],” explains Atkinson. Before they passed away, Murck was a professor at MScSM, and Craig was a

program coordinator at MScSM—both dedicated their lives to sustainability.

Atkinson has worked with partners, including the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, the UTM Sustainability Office, and the MScSM Student Executive Council (MSEC), to hold events for Sustainability Week. Notable events include the Trashion Show and MSEC Presents: Mock COP (Conference of the Parties).

“What happens when the external [world around us] is not receiving that same amount of love?”

at the Student Centre’s Presentation Room.

The event is modelled after United Nations (UN)-style conferences, where delegations from various countries gather to discuss global issues like climate change. Participating students will be assigned a delegation, then presented with a wide-scale challenge to solve. Students are welcome to register for the event.

“There is a role that everyone can play within [sustainability] and make it something that [they] do with love and with care […] because it has a very, very wide lens,” Atkinson says. “Sustainability, like love, is a universal thing.”

According to ESG | The Report, a company

The Trashion Show will be held on March 14, 2023, at the William G. Davis Building’s Meeting Place. Atkinson explains that, “Some people have submitted ideas ahead of time, but we’re also inviting anyone to attend, […] whether it be a creative design out of reusable materials, or […] your best thrifted hand-me-down traded outfit.”

Likewise, UTM’s first-ever COP will be held on March 17, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

that advises individuals and businesses on how to invest in sustainable living and practices, there are three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental, and economic. As explained by the company, the social pillar “focuses on creating a better quality of life for all [through] access to basic services such as health care, sanitation, and education.” The environmental pillar “seeks to protect and conserve natural resources while using them in a responsible manner.” The economic pillar puts forth that “investment in renewable energy sources and promoting fair trade practices” will ensure equitable growth.

“Often when people think of sustainability, they think only of the environment and might say something like, ‘I am not an environmentalist, I wish I could contribute to this [cause], but I can’t,’” says Atkinson. “These pillars, along with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals are very accessible in the sense that we all can see ourselves represented in them.” In this belief, Atkinson believes that Sustainability Week encourages UTM to work “towards a more sustainable community on campus and beyond.”

The Undergraduate Research Symposium returns for a second year With a return of in-person programming, the Undergraduate Research Symposium offers opportunities for student researchers to showcase their work physically and network.

Razia Saleh Staff Writer

O

n March 27, 2023, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) will hold the second iteration of its annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.

The event will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Student Centre, and will showcase student research.

In an email interview with The Medium, Jihan Khatib, academic advocacy coordinator at the UTMSU, discusses what student participants and attendees can expect at this year’s symposium.

The UTMSU first introduced the Undergraduate Research Symposium in 2022 to share undergraduate research across different disciplines. Many U of T research symposiums restrict showcasing projects and research to specific fields of study. “[These events are] either held for specific courses or programs or over the summer term, not giving all students the opportunity to participate,” explains Khatib.

Khatib contends that the Undergraduate Research Symposium differs from similar events as students can win cash prizes for having the best presentation. “Unlike many U of T-wide symposiums, students will compete for a grand prize

[of $1,000] rather than solely showcasing their research,” explains Khatib.

“The UTMSU [has] allocated $3,000 for the Undergraduate Research Symposium. The $3,000 will be used to print participants’ poster presentations, for food and refreshments, decorations, and for ‘thank you’ gifts to all participants and judges,” states Khatib. She explains that the Office of the Dean has provided funds for the prizes.

Regarding this year’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, the most significant change would be the return of inperson events. “With the [2022] virtual symposium, students had to submit a pre-recorded overview of their research in

UTMSU

no more than five minutes,” explains Khatib. “There will not be a pre-recorded option this year, but participants’ research overview will still be required to meet the time limit [of five minutes].” Additionally, last year’s symposium took place over three days, with each day being dedicated to one of the three disciplines at the university—humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Khatib explains that “This year, everyone will be presenting together in one space.”

“The judges are given a rubric, and participants will be scored on the criteria outlined in the rubric. The participants are evaluated on the following criteria: overall style, delivery and impression of presentation, the content, the relevance of their research project, and overall creativity and/or originality,” writes Khatib, explaining the method in which presentations are evaluated.

After the judges have finished their evaluations, Khatib explains that, “There will be a networking opportunity between students, faculty, and attendees, with refreshments served.

This is an open event, so students, faculty and staff are all invited to attend!”

Khatib states there are currently six submissions to the event. Interested student researchers can register for the event before March 13, 2023. Only completed research projects will be accepted, and submissions should be formatted as a poster.

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Showcasing research through creative media forms U of T’s Centre for Research & Innovation Support debuts the Drawing Across the Disciplines Series with its Comics and Graphic Scholarly Works webinar, which explores the use of graphic narratives in disseminating research findings.

Angelina Jaya Siew Staff Writer

D

rawing Across the Disciplines is a new series launched

by U of T’s Centre for Research & Innovation Support (CRIS). It explores options to showcase research findings through various media formats—including comics and podcasts—other than peer-reviewed journals. On March 9, 2023, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., CRIS held the series’ first event, Comics and Graphic Scholarly Works, which outlined how research is being presented in the aforementioned media. The event featured Shelley Wall, an associate professor at the U of T Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and Ai Taniguchi, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga’s (UTM) Department of Language Studies.

The panel explored how comics and graphic narratives are being used to connect with a wider audience, and how scholars from various fields of study—including graphic medicine, creative writing, and linguistics—are integrating these media into their research showcases.

During an interview with The Medium, Dr. Elizabeth Parke, faculty programming development officer at CRIS, highlights that the Comics and Graphic Scholarly Works webinar invited U of T faculty researchers and welcomed early career researchers—including those at the undergraduate and graduate level—to have insightful conversations with each other. All U of T students can watch the webinar’s recording through the library website.

Dr. Parke sheds light on how the idea of creating the Drawing Across the Disciplines series came into fruition, explaining, “The Drawing Across the Disciplines series [came] to us starting with comics because of the great coincidence of CRIS being in the library.” The Gerstein Library contains various forms of print media, which combined with CRIS’s goal of publishing research, spurred the creation of this new series.

While not all students may like comic books, CRIS hopes to explore more innovative ways to showcase research in the future, such as data visualizations.

“Ways for people to get research out into the world [to be] read and cited, [to impact] future science [and] future policy, are really important to us at CRIS,” says Dr. Parke. “This is an opportunity to take that next step into a new series [so that

SARAH FIRTH

we can] think about what it means to do comic work about your research.”

Dr. Parke states that the Drawing Across the Disciplines series encourages students to “start to think about the research space” and gain a deeper understanding of this area. She advises students to “be open to seeing what’s out there and maybe think [about] bringing together two strands of your interests.” She gives the example of how one could combine their practice of photography into the research space.

There are many methods for students to engage with the world of research. “I would encourage everybody to check out the [CRIS] website and join the mailing letter,” says Dr. Parke, encouraging interested students to register for upcoming events hosted by CRIS throughout the year. Additionally, research opportunity programs (ROP) and work study programs present opportunities for UTM students who are interested in conducting research. Most importantly, she emphasizes that students should never hesitate to ask questions—to both faculty and classmates—regarding research spaces.

As there are many research-related events and programs happening at UTM, Dr. Parke encourages students to subscribe to SURGE—the bi-monthly newsletter of UTM’s Office of the Vice Principal Research—to stay informed of what is happening in UTM’s research community. Additionally, she notes that, “The UTM library often runs programming particularly focused [on] undergraduate research and ROP support.”

“I’m just really excited to be launching this new series and to have the opportunity to really showcase the incredible work that’s happening from our faculty,” concludes Dr. Parke.

Bill C-18 to regulate compensation for Canadian media outlets While Bill C-18 requires digital news intermediaries, such as Google, to compensate news outlets for linking their articles, the intermediaries’ pushback for the bill may reduce news content accessibility.

Kathleen Xu Contributor

I

n April 2022, the Canadian government proposed Bill C-18—the Online News Act. The bill aims to promote fair compensation for Canadian news outlets by any digital news intermediary—including search engines such as Google—that use their content. Bill C-18 has currently reached its second reading, where the Senate is discussing its principles and potential amendments.

The Government of Canada’s website explains that “search engines and social media services fall within the definition of digital news intermediary,” but messaging services intended for private communication between users are not included in the bill. As Bill C-18 aims to address equity in the news industry, the act provides a framework for negotiations, where influential and dominant digital news intermediaries may have significant bargaining advantages over a news outlet. To determine this, market position and the size of the digital news intermediary will be considered.

News outlets involved in negotiations under the act must be considered a “qualified Canadian Journalism organization,” an example being The Globe and Mail Inc. Alternatively, the outlets must meet various statutory criteria, such as having operations in Canada and two or more journalists regularly employed.

Bill C-18 specifically targets how news content is made available to audiences rather than its production. Brett Caraway, an associate professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology explains the difference in an interview with The Medium: “Google or Facebook is not paying for content that they’re reproducing—this isn’t a copyright

SAMIRA KARIMOVA/THE MEDIUM

case. The bill requires them to pay for a link to an article.”

Professor Caraway explains that the internet and the digital consumption of news has contributed to rising government interest in the role of digital intermediary platforms. “Journalism has been adversely impacted by the internet and the culture of sharing, it’s hard to convince people to pay a fee [to access news sites],” he explains.

In addition to the internet’s easy and free access to content, Professor Caraway explains that targeted advertising has “allowed digital platforms to generate large revenue streams from advertising.” On the other hand, news outlets generate less profit as they are unable to collect large amounts of data for targeted advertising.

Bill C-18 intends to compensate news outlets, but corporations like Google have already shown resistance to such policies. On February 22, 2023, Google began blocking some of its Canadian users from accessing news. In a written statement to The Canadian Press, Google spokesman Shay Purdy stated that Google is “briefly testing potential product responses to Bill C-18 that impact a very small percentage of Canadian users” for around five weeks.

Professor Caraway believes that the restrictions to news content accessibility will become tech giants’ answer to the bill if passed, saying: “The Canadian government is overestimating the significance of the Canadian market to US tech firms.”

“Bill C-18 intends to compensate news outlets, but corporations like Google have already shown resistance to such policies.”

As a concluding thought, Professor Caraway raises concern for Canadian news organizations should Bill C-18 be passed. “I just don’t think there’s that much advertising revenue accruing to Facebook and Google from Canada to make it worth their while to negotiate with every Canadian news content creator,” he says.

“They’re just going to pull the rug out from underneath Canadian news content creators by making it really difficult to draw traffic to their websites, where advertising margins are [already] so small.”

04

ChatGPT: An AI that facilitates realistic conversations Dr. Steve Szigeti shares his thoughts on ChatGPT and AI applications, how they are changing learning processes, and redefining the workplace.

Karine Alhakim Contributor

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ver since its release on November 30, 2022, ChatGPT has been the highlight of many conversations, both in the academe and the workplace. In simple terms, ChatGPT is an interactive platform that draws upon information from its database to answer its users’ questions. While its provided answer may or may not be correct, ChatGPT always has a response, and it aims to simulate real-life conversations.

In conversation with The Medium, Dr. Steve Szigeti, an assistant professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology, explains that ChatGPT generates answers using prediction models. He compares the system of ChatGPT to that of a black box—a system that generates outputs based on the inputs without revealing how it functions. Dr. Szigeti states, “It takes into account each of the different words and structures its answer accordingly.” The responses are naturally written, and Dr. Szigeti explains that: “When we interact with these systems, it seems that we are talking to humans.”

ChatGPT is known to utilize natural language processing, which Dr. Szigeti describes as the ability to understand the naturally written and spoken language that humans use. It is a valuable component of artificial intelligence (AI) as it allows computers to understand text and speech.

With the increasing popularity of ChatGPT, many students are relying on the platform for assistance on their assignments.

Drawing from his experience in teaching CCT110: Rhetoric and

Media, a class with around 700 students, Dr. Szigeti believes it is beneficial to address the use of ChatGPT in an academic setting. Considering that the International Baccalaureate has now allowed the use of ChatGPT in its program, he predicts that universities will eventually follow suit.

Allowing students to use a platform already available for everyone promotes fairness. As such, Dr. Szigeti is exploring ways that ChatGPT can integrate into course assignments. However, he stresses that it is important that students learn what constitutes a strong academic paper, so that they can assess the value and validity of a ChatGPT-generated response.

Currently, at U of T, the use of ChatGPT for assignments is permitted by the course instructor’s discretion. However, questions arise regarding whether professors and teaching assistants can tell if students used ChatGPT to write their papers or not.

Given that ChatGPT combines prediction models with natural language processing to create the most human-sounding responses possible, Dr. Szigeti believes that it can be hard to tell. This is worsened by U of T’s restriction on the use of Chat-

GPT detection tools—a policy that emerged to protect the work submitted by students. In principle, students own their work, and professors cannot submit their work to third parties without students’ consent. While professors cannot easily identify ChatGPT-generated work, this does not mean students are safe to freely use the platform—it sometimes makes up references.

Dr. Szigeti believes that educators should rethink their methods for evaluating student work. Integrating ChatGPT into the learning process is the best way to safeguard academic integrity while reaping the platform’s benefits. He believes that while the spotlight is on ChatGPT right now, there are other AI applications used daily at educational institutions and in the workplace.

An example is the facial recognition tool on smartphones. AI is also frequently used to visualize data for analysis and planning.

“When we interact with these systems, it seems that we are talking to humans.”

With all these technological advancements, one can expect that ChatGPT, alongside many other AI systems, will be used across various professions. Integrating ChatGPT in the workplace will affect workers as well, and Dr. Szigeti believes that the nature of work will change. For instance, instead of having employees that code, employees will now supervise the AI as it codes and address any issues that may arise.

There are many opportunities that AI opens to academia and the workplace, coming with certain challenges to navigate as well. In essence, the rising popularity of ChatGPT, and AI as a whole, may revolutionize the world.

: The Horn of Africa is facing its

worst drought in recent history

People in the Horn of Africa are struggling to find food and clean water as droughts in the region persist following five consecutive failed rainy seasons.

Mihail Cubata Associate News Editor >> ZERO HOUR continued from page 01 Experts attribute the drought to a combination of natural weather patterns and human-induced climate change. The Pacific Ocean is currently at the tail-end of an abnormally long La Niña—a global weather pattern involving cooling water temperatures that shift rain away from East Africa towards Indonesia. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects that the current La Niña will subside by April 2023, the consequences are persisting, with meteorologists predicting another lackluster rainy season in the Horn of Africa from March to May 2023. Compounding the effects of La Niña are the higher air and ocean temperatures caused by climate change, which contribute to the dehydration of plants and soil, as well as extreme rainfall and drought.

“Experts attribute the drought to a combination of natural weather patterns and human-induced climate change.”

The Horn of Africa has also seen severe political turmoil that has hampered aid efforts. Ethiopia’s Tigray War—a civil conflict driven by local ethnic tensions—has displaced thousands of families without food, shelter, and other basic services. Though the war formally ended in November 2022,

ZERIHUN SEWUNET/UNICEF

fighting continues in parts of the country.

In Somalia, the ongoing civil war—involving the local government, the US, and several militant Islamic groups—has destroyed key infrastructure and rendered millions of Somalis vulnerable to worsening climate conditions.

Despite the significant challenges, aid efforts continue throughout East Africa. Several groups, including the UN, UNICEF, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), currently operate in Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia, where they distribute food, water, and medical supplies in key population centers.

In January 2023, US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, traveled to the Somali capital, Mogadishu, where she announced that the USAID would be providing US$41 million as “lifesaving assistance” to Somalia. In February 2023, the USAID tabled a response plan that requested US$2.6 billion in funding for humanitarian efforts throughout the Horn of Africa.

Likewise, on February 28, 2023, the UN Refugee Agency published a report seeking US$137 million in funding from its parent organization. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative—which focuses on enhancing food security, this humanitarian aid is the only thing keeping certain regions of East Africa from all-out famine, but such efforts need to be scaled up to address deteriorating food security.

While many humanitarian efforts are underway in the Horn of Africa, the region is currently facing its sixth failed rainy season in a row, threatening the livelihood of millions.

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

Editor | Kareena Kailass opinion@themedium.ca

Editorial

If you can dream it, do it It’s never too late to make memories.

The Medium

A

s the winter semester nears its end, many of us are regretting not being more involved on campus.

Even more so with the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union’s looming elections, campaign signs, poster boards, and soon enough, voting, will have filled the main corridors of the university, reminding us of our campus’ strong social solidarity.

Reflecting on what we “could have” and “should have” done looks different for each of us. For some it’s just a passing thought, while for others, it elicits a motivation to join the clubs we always wanted to try out and to finally experience many of our campus firsts—like going to the gym, trekking the UTM trails (maybe skip this one in this weather), or asking for help with a final paper at the Robert Gillespie Academic Skill Centre.

The Medium encourages you to explore and learn more

about the clubs, societies, resources, and activities you’ve always been too shy or busy to give second thought. To socialize, befriend, and write a new chapter in your story of life.

Apply for those positions, even if you don’t think you have the experience.

Join those clubs, even if you think it’s too late. And approach those professors, even if the research position applications are closed. Give your everything and try your hardest. And if things don’t go as planned, don’t worry, everything will be forgotten by September, and you’ll be presented with a fresh slate. If things do go as planned, then you’ll have an update for your LinkedIn network.

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Design Manjot Pabla design@themedium.ca

Not all passive voice is bad

Copy Aidan Thompson aidan@themedium.ca

The hate for passive voice has gone too far and you’re not a bad writer for using it.

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

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Hannah Grace Wang Staff Writer

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he first thing they teach you in English classes is: don’t use the passive voice.

I strongly believe that not all passive voice is bad in writing. I’m not saying you should always write in passive voice. I want to be clear that I am totally all for active voice in writing whenever it’s possible. You want your sentences to be clear, and it’s true that active voice succeeds more often than not at maintaining clarity. But one or two passive sentences in an an article or essay shouldn’t be such a big deal.

What’s the issue with passive voice anyway? Here’s an example of a sentence with passive voice: “The boy was bitten by the dog.” In a passive sentence, the subject (the boy) is acted upon. Usually, passive voice distances the action from the person who performed said action. If you take a writing class, you’ll notice that they strongly discourage you from writing in passive voice and prefer that you use active voice instead (“The dog bit the boy”). I’m not saying to overuse passive voice.

Frankly speaking, you don’t want to overuse any kind of sentence in writing. Too much passive voice isn’t cute, but that doesn’t mean we should exclude it entirely.

Take for example, the fake scenario that Earth is attacked (yes, it’s corny but bear with me). The sentence, “The Earth was attacked” is passive. Sure, it could be aliens or some sentient beings or whatever, but, what if we don’t know who attacked Earth? What if all we knew at the time was that Earth was attacked?

Surely, the sentence “The Earth was attacked” couldn’t possibly be a problem. Yet, some writers are so keen on using the active voice, that they avoid using the passive voice entirely! It’s frankly a little ridiculous—why can’t we just have a balance in writing? It is exhausting when we take everything to the extreme.

Yes, there are good reasons why we should use active voice whenever we can. Passive voice sentences tend to be longer, indirect, impersonal, and can even come across as evasive. So if it’s possible, definitely choose active voice. But can we please get rid of the narrative that passive voice is the absolute worst? Sometimes when you’re writing, the actor or author is unknown. Or you just want to be vague. (Who wants to read a mystery that reveals everything in the first chapter anyway?) Sometimes the focus isn’t on the person, but the action being done. “My car was stolen.” Who stole it? Obviously, a thief. When you want to keep the focus on an action or the recipient of said action, it can make more sense to omit the doer.

In certain scientific and legal contexts, the experiment or procedure is more important than who is conducting it. There is a time and place for passive voice—as with all writing techniques.

Sometimes, the passive voice is unavoidable. Using passive voice shouldn’t mean you’re a bad writer. Grammar is important. It should be okay to sprinkle some passive voice into your writing for sentence variety. Yes, it’s generally a good rule to write with the active voice. But sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.

06

Dating in the modern era: : Are women pressured into playing hard to get?

Jealousy is not the answer

A (sort of) deep dive into expectations for women in the dating world, and their links to the patriarchy and, possibly, evolution.

Elizabeth Provost Editor-in-Chief

Danica D’Sa Contributor

Hi Liz, I’m currently dating a girl after breaking up with my ex not that long ago. But I’m starting to realize that I think she is just a rebound to make my ex jealous. I’m just not in it for the same type of commitment she’s in it for and I’m not feeling the spark, although she truly is a great girl.

I still have feelings for my ex. I still talk to her, but I think I’m friend-zoned, so I don’t think me trying to make her jealous has worked. I’m stuck between not having the girl I want and breaking someone else’s heart. What should I do?

Signed, Dude who’s kinda not over his ex Dear Dude who’s kinda not over his ex,

I

’ve recently found myself in a similar situation—I was the ex, and he was the guy with the girlfriend. It wasn’t all that great realizing I became the “other woman,” so creating boundaries was needed. As much as I wanted to talk to my ex and perhaps even rekindle some kind of relationship, I couldn’t do that at the expense of someone else.

I understood that, despite my existing feelings, it wouldn’t be fair to his new girlfriend— or to me—to continue having conversations with him, even if he was insisting on it. It hurts, but if I were the new girlfriend, I’d be absolutely destroyed giving my all to someone who has their ex on their mind.

It will be difficult to have a conversation about this, but one is overdue and will save everyone from a massive heartache. There is no possible outcome where all of you come out unscathed. If you think you can hide it, trust me—she’ll find out. If you think you’ll eventually fall in love with her, you won’t. Resentment, longing, lying—these things grow in situations like this.

I don’t blame you for pursuing this new girl. They always say that the key to moving on from someone is by getting under someone new. But when has that ever worked? Moving on does not involve losing all feelings. You simply move forward and choose to accept that you still have feelings. Only when you stop fighting yourself will you be able to willingly accept the next person or phase of your life.

Sit down with your girlfriend and tell her you’re not ready to be in a relationship just yet. Express that it’s not fair to her.

Make it as clear as possible that she is not at fault without using the “it’s not you, it’s me” cliché (because that’s never really helped anyone). Once you do so, maybe approach your ex and understand her perspective—after all, she’s also trying not to get hurt.

Trust me, if you want to win back your ex, jealousy is not the answer; I’d opt for a bouquet, a boombox, and a midnight performance of “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (make sure you warm up your vocal cords).

With Love,

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icture this: you’re anxiously sitting on your bed, hunched over, staring daggers at your phone. Your heart has been in your stomach all day, waiting for a text back from you know who. You love talking to them and are so excited to talk to someone new. Ding! You hear the sound that makes your heart sink even lower—a new notification. It’s you know who.

But instead of replying, you think, “If I reply too soon, it will look like I’m too excited and I was waiting for a text.” So instead, you nervously scroll through Instagram or TikTok or pace around until the time is right. After 10 to 15 minutes, you finally reply, breathing a sigh of relief, but not for long.

Before you know it, you will be waiting again, nervous.

Where did this phenomenon of being too excited, too needy, too vulnerable, or too attracted to someone arise from? It’s one thing to be overzealous and extremely engaged with someone who isn’t reciprocating, but when the mutual attraction is apparent, what exactly makes us scared to show it? This may be a stretch to some, but I believe this has to do with traditional ideas rooted in the patriarchy… and evolution. Just hear me out.

My point-of-view is that of a heterosexual woman’s—and resultingly, this piece will mostly reference heterosexual relationships; however, it seems like this avoidant behaviour is something many experience, no matter their sexual orientation. I finally got to thinking about the roots of the elusiveness after taking a class in feminist philosophy.

Historically, a woman could not just approach someone she found interest in. If the marriage was not arranged by the involved families, marriage was often preceded by a courtship, where the man had to approach the woman and show interest. There was a lot on the line, and it was important for the woman in the relationship to maintain her honour, both prior to and after marriage. This honour meant no actions that could suggest any attraction beyond what was expected of a woman. A young man could be seen with a different woman every week, but a woman would face reputational consequences for displaying the same behaviour.

Now, if we take a trip to the Amazon rainforest, we would see that many species of birds often display courtship behaviours, where the male bird has to prove its evolutionary worth to the female bird it courts. This is also known as sexual selection, a natural phenomenon innate in birds, which scientists noticed.

Seemingly, there is a trend that transcended species, where the female organism is proposed to, but never does the proposing. I believe that historical ideas of relationships, along with human observation of courtships in nature, pushed women into a tight shell when it came to romantic attraction. The idea of playing hard to get was crucial to being of interest. Any deviation from that could have led to ideas, perhaps unconsciously, of straying not only from societal norms, but from animal nature. This is merely a theory based on my connections between evolution and women’s history, and of course it requires much more research into both the historical and evolutionary role of female organisms, but still, it is interesting.

And all of that is (perhaps) what leads us here today— where we have to show that we are not interested in an effort to show that we are nonchalant. Over-interest is unattractive and symbolizes having too much time on your hands. Fair enough, this essentially means, “Don’t be weird and do too

much too soon.” But, in the age of social media, where every move we make is more than just a tap on a screen, these ideas have innervated communication between people, especially in romantic contexts. Actions like waiting to view someone’s story on Instagram to not seem “obsessed,” not replying back for hours to not seem “desperate,” and intentionally showing the most minimal signs of interest possible are now what romantic communication often is. This seems to be a lot more than not showing over-interest. It seems like a constant effort to never show any interest!

This opinion, however, is not meant to blame anyone involved, especially women. Ideas of purity that are associated with relationships, chastity, and even science arise directly from patriarchy and misogyny. Thankfully, social media trends show that things may be changing for the better, and people are being encouraged to show their interest instead of expecting people to be mind readers. This is a step in the right direction. Dismantling gender norms is, unfortunately, a lot like building Rome, in that it will not happen in a day.

Until then however, let’s hope that dating gets easier, and crushes get sillier.

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Who hurt Netflix?

Netflix’s days of playing with our emotions and taunting us with its anticipated password sharing are finally over. The dreaded day is coming soon.

Mari Khan Staff Writer “Love is sharing a password.” - Netflix

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t’s normal to be salty around New Years or Valentines Day, but someone has hurt Netflix badly. So severely, that Netflix has become a delusional mess.

For those who need a catch-up: Netflix announced that they will be preventing password sharing by charging users additional fees. This has sparked major outrage.

Netflix putting an end to what it defined as love will occur all over the world by the end of this month.

Netflix did not lose their communication skills in their break-up though, according to Netflix, “over 100 million households worldwide are using shared accounts” which means that Netflix is missing out on a lot of potential revenue. But with a net worth of $138.85 billion, Netflix really is going to need more money to go on a heartbroken shopping spree, like Ariana Grande did after Pete Davidson.

But hold on, it gets worse.

In addition to the fee, Netflix will now require you to share your primary location. This seems like a way to collect valuable data that Netflix does not need, and I’m concerned about what they’re going to do with it. I understand Netflix needing your region, which relates to what content they have rights to be streaming, but they don’t need to

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know where I live. On top of that, Netflix will also monitor IP addresses and device IDs to ensure that devices are all within the same household. This is likely information they were already taking but knowing that they have made it required now so they can earn more money is frustrating. It feels as if I’m suffering because my best friend went through a break-up and doesn’t have anyone else to take her anger out on but me.

Maybe Netflix should have been happy with their billions, but it seems like they’ve chosen to finally learn a lesson. Now, when you call customer service, instead of answering with “how can we help you?” Netflix is answering with “how would you like to cancel your account?”

It makes me happy that customers are taking a stand and showing that lines are being overstepped. We don’t all need to be depressed and angry just because Netflix is.

The problem is that Netflix seems to have this false belief that they are still the dominating force in the streaming platform market, so they can do whatever they want and still maintain their customer database. Netflix may hold the largest market share of any streaming platform in the United States at 39 per cent, but there are alternatives now.

Amazon Prime, Disney+, Crave, and Peacock are all competitors in the same field. Also, if you love a series or movie enough, purchasing DVDs isn’t out of the question. Netflix isn’t the only option anymore, and it needs to get over its high school peak.

So, to whoever broke Netflix’s heart: please get back together with them. It’s for the greater good.

Selena Gomez’s internet battles are a lesson for us all The solution to cyber bullying may indeed be to “kill them with kindness.”

Vanessa Bogacki Contributor

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ikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and many other social media platforms have broken within the last two weeks because of the Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber drama. Now the internet is left with one question: whose side do I take?

As many of you know, the drama started when Selena Gomez laminated her eyebrows a little too much, which led to Kylie Jenner posting a photo of her mocking Selena with the caption “this was an accident?” The post was later followed by a screenshot of her and Hailey Bieber on a FaceTime call with their eyebrows zoomed in.

than we know. Many social media users in @ shaderoom’s comment sections on Instagram rumour that the Jenner sisters strictly hung out with Selena in order to get Hailey closer with Justin. This speculation is something which only those involved will know the truth. However, this does not take away from the online Selena slander.

In 2022, Selena uploaded a documentary entitled “My Mind and Me” which went viral on

Apple TV. Within the film, the audience learned about the singer’s life battles—the first being lupus, which she was diagnosed with back in 2014. Selena opened up about her journey with the illness as it altered her life significantly.

The former Disney star also discussed her struggles with her mental health, creating a powerful movement for awareness and support. Many of her fans did not know the hardships she faced with her mental health. This

“It’s proof that hate and bullying does not just occur in our regular day-to-day lives, but that celebrities can also be victims.”

“This speculation is something which only those involved will know the truth.”

This sparked huge controversy, as many are aware that Hailey is not a big Selena fan, due to the past relationship Selena had with Justin Bieber. “Jelena” was, and continues to be, a majorly discussed topic, as fans cannot let this past relationship end. After Justin proposed to Hailey, many realized that there may have been more to Justin popping the big question

documentary was designed to allow those who struggle with such problems to know they are not alone. Selena also highlighted the negativity she faced within her life due to hate she received from multiple individuals.

The recent online slander was shut down immediately by many of Selena’s fans, alongside celebrities who do not condone behavior like this. It’s proof that hate and bullying does not just occur in our regular day-to-day lives, but that celebrities can also be victims.

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Cyber bullying is a universal problem, in that it can happen to anyone. So, what are the best steps that we can take to deal with this?

The best solution is to follow in Selena’s footsteps and ignore the hurtful comments. Furthermore, we can always be kind, even to those who may not be so kind to us. We never know what anyone is going through in life—while their individual situations may not justify their actions, we must take into account that they may not know how to deal with their emotions.

We too can find peace and kindly shut down cyber bullying when we see it.

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features

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

AURORA PICCIOTTOLI/THE MEDIUM

Dear plastic bottle, where are you now?

Although consensus surrounds single-use plastic bottles’ devastating effect on the environment, plastic-free alternatives prove hard to implement, requiring an international call for action.

Sierra Peca Contributor

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he life of a single-use plastic water bottle is a peculiar one, because frankly, it’s one that seems to never end.

A plastic water bottle will exist in one form or another for 400 to 1,000 years, according to Sydney Water, an Australian governmental organization. It’s strange to think that every plastic bottle we’ve collectively used is still floating around somewhere on this earth, but that’s the unfortunate truth.

Whether we look at a bottle of water today versus five, 10, or 20 years down the line, it’s likely that not much would have changed for the bottle.

Although the length of the lifetimes of each plastic bottle is the same, the ways they spend their lives may vary. Most bottles are not recycled; up to a whopping 90 per cent of all single-use plastic bottles end up in landfills. If your bottle happens to be in the minority that doesn’t, that means it will be repurposed and turned into another plastic object that will eventually end up in a landfill. If your bottle is in the majority, it will end up in a landfill a lot quicker, but the fate of each will likely be the same.

Landfills are not the only place where plastic bottles end up. They’re known to populate our greatest source of oxygen, home to marine creatures (which make up 94 per cent of all living things): the ocean. Approximately eight million tons of plastic make their way into our oceans each year, and although it’s true that plastic bottles aren’t the sole culprit, they are contributors, nonetheless.

The plastic bottle’s life cycle doesn’t end here. Instead, the bottles break down into smaller bits of plastic, known as microplastics, over time. These particle-like bits are consumed by fish and even end up in the water that we drink. So, there’s a high chance that microplastics could have ended up in your body.

Nowadays, though their usage is not encouraged, singleuse plastic water bottles are still active and ever-present drinking vessels in the world. With a rise in awareness for the above environmental issues and countless others caused by single-use plastic, their usage has become scrutinized, and there has been a strong push towards reusable bottles.

But what needs to happen in the future for plastic water bottles to become obsolete? What is the future of single-use plastic bottles?

“Even though single-use plastic bottles are condemned socially, the need for them is actually rising—they seem to be both the problem and the solution.”

As we know, water is a necessity far more than it is a luxury, so access to safe drinking water is needed for all people. If we look around the world and at the current state of America, we can see that clean drinking water is not guaranteed. Countries like Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and some cities within the US like Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi have seen issues with access to clean drinking water. Without clean drinking water, it can be assumed that access to bottled water will be in high demand. One resident of Jackson, Mississippi said: “I spend about US$200 on bottled water every month. That’s mainly what I use that money for, to buy five big cases of water for the month.”

With the current and escalating climate crisis, it’s possible that access to clean drinking water will become even more limited over time. According to Danamark, a Canadian water care company, “Flooding from climate change can affect water quality, as large volumes of water can transport contaminants into water bodies and also overload storm and wastewater systems.” Even though single-use plastic bottles are condemned socially, the need for them is actually ris-

ing—they seem to be both the problem and the solution.

Since it’s likely that the need for transportable water bottles will not become obsolete, what is an alternative? What can single-use plastic bottles evolve into so that the environmental impact is lowered? It’s possible that single-use biodegradable bottles will be manufactured and encouraged. Just as many grocery stores have stopped offering plastic bags and paper straws have become the new normal in many places, it’s not impossible that we could see a total shift away from plastic.

For this alternative to be successful, plastic-free substitutes would need to maintain some key features that draw people to plastic bottles in the first place. First, they must be accessible in both how many are available and how much they cost. They also need to withstand travel for long periods of time, as plastic does. Finally, they should come in varying sizes so that families without access to safe drinking water can be provided for.

Already, famous actors like Jason Mamoa and Jaden Smith have created plastic-free, single-use water bottles.

Although these alternatives are far more expensive, and therefore less accessible to the majority of the population, it seems to already indicate a shift in water bottle production.

However, to fully eliminate single-use plastics, international corporation would be required.

Tackling this issue, the United Nation’s (UN) Intertergovernmental Negotiating Committee is working on an international legally binding agreement with 175 nations’ corporations. Through international collaboration, the draft, aimed at being completed by 2024, will explore various plastic-free substitutes, among other ways of combatting plastic pollution. With this in the works, the UN is hopeful for a more eco-friendly and sustainable future, free of plastics.

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IMIx BIGDataAIHUB Seminar Series: Technology and the Law Laura Crimi and Jeremiah Jesin-Neuberger, both from LaBarge Weinstein, cover how the law can protect your intellectual property, associated limitations, and offer their legal advice during the seminar.

Mari Khan Staff Writer

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n March 1, 2023, the University of Toronto Mississauga’s Institute of Management and Innovation held their seventh seminar in their BIGDataAIHUB Seminar Series. This seminar was titled “Technology and the Law: Corporate Strategy and Intellectual Property Basics.” The event, led by Laura Crimi, an associate lawyer, and Jeremiah Jesin-Neuberger, a lawyer, both from LaBarge Weinstein, provided a comprehensive guide for students who are considering, or who have, a technology start-up or side project.

Methods of protecting intellectual property The guest speakers began by defining the various types of protection one can use to protect one’s intellectual property (IP), that is, one’s intangible inventions created using one’s mind: patents, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets. A patent, as defined by Crimi, is an “exclusive right to an invention for 20 years in Canada from the date of filing.” Patents are likely an appealing option for those who want protection. However, since they are extremely costly, Crimi advises looking into other options or consulting a patent counsellor before taking steps to file a patent. Discussing your needs with a counsellor will help determine if it’s worth your time and money.

Trademarks cover the branding of your IP. Unlike patents, it is possible to have a trademark indefinitely. Trademarks last 10 years from the date they are filed. However, you can have them renewed.

Copyright, as defined by Crimi, is the “exclusive right to produce, publish, or perform original literary, artistic, dramatic, or musical work.” Copyrights automatically protect your IP and registration is not required, unlike trademarks and patents. Within copyrights, there are economic and moral rights.

Economic rights, which deal with profits, can be given to another individual, allowing that individual to exploit the content

however they like, but moral rights cannot be assigned. Moral rights are concerned with the integrity of the project. So, an individual or firm with economic rights to a project may not alter it.

An important message from Crimi to those who plan on using open-source software: “When developing software, it is critical to read the open-source software licence.” Crimi highlights that this is a crucial step that should be dealt with carefully and meticulously. Neglecting this step can result in painful consequences. For example, some investors in your search for financial support may find that, due to negligence and improper use of open-source software, your project may not be fully protected.

There is also a possibility that in the licence, the open-source software is “copyleft,” which means that what you produce with that software must be published publicly. Students will want to be careful about using software that is “copyleft” as “an investor would look at that and deem your actual product […] is not as valuable because you need to share it freely with the public,” Crimi explains. For example, the original alterations made to the open-source software and any following modifications made will have to be shared publicly for free.

The final way in which you can protect your IP is through the use of trade secrets.

Trade secrets, like copyrights, are not registered. Instead, they require that you be cautious of whom you share your IP with

and use proper techniques to protect it, such as non-disclosure agreements. There are multiple drawbacks to using trade secrets.

For example, this method requires that you be careful and discreet. There is also a chance that someone will come up with it and register it, in which case you lose all property rights.

Crimi explains that at this moment, computer codes are not patentable under Canadian law, but computer programs are if they offer “a new and inventive solution to a problem.” However, computer codes can be protected under copyright. To protect your code under copyright, you must include the copyright symbol, “©,” on your work.

Crimi has also put together a tailored list for students who have tech start-ups or side projects in mind. This can be found in the seminar recording.

Protecting the IP of artificial intelligence (AI) Currently, work created by AI is not protected under Canadian Law, even if AI is listed as a co-author. Crimi shares that the government is in the process of adjusting the framework to accommodate work created by AI.

Be wary of jurisdictions An important concept covered in the entirety of the seminar is to be careful of the jurisdictions you work and advertise in. “Just because you have rights in Canada,

does not mean that you have rights in other jurisdictions,” Crimi argues. So, if your IP is protected in Canada, it doesn’t mean it is protected in other jurisdictions such as the United States or the European Union. If you want to advertise or work within other jurisdictions outside of Canada, you will have to learn that jurisdiction’s laws and corresponding methods used to protect your IP.

Investments and relationships with investors Once investors are brought onto the project, it gets a little more complicated. JesinNeuberger details how investors will take an executive position, and you will not have as much power over your work anymore.

“One thing to keep in mind when you’re going through various financing rounds and bringing on funding is the interplay between new money into the corporation” explains Jesin-Neuberger. “And the investors who are investing it will go for power and will generally want to take over those board positions and take as many shares as they can,” he continues. Once investors and shareholders come onto the project, it is much more than what you are producing—the focus shifts to how shareholders can make money from your product and exploit it in a way that benefits them the most.

Students looking for investors are told to be careful about who they bring in, as you’ll want to ensure that you are protecting yourself as much as you are protecting your IP. A piece of advice that Jesin-Neuberger gives is to make sure that everything is “papered properly so that there can be no disputes down the line.” Some shareholders will come back and argue that they were not provided with all the options that they were promised. He stresses that if you don’t have the proper documentation to prove that they were fairly paid on everything promised, it’s time to lawyer-up and pray that you win.

Students who are interested in protecting their IP and learning how investor relationships affect their project or start-up are advised to watch the recording of the seminar that is available online.

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Arts

Editor | Julia Skoczypiec arts@themedium.ca

The M ’s Playlist – Samira’s March of Memories Samira Karimova Photos & Design Editor

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come from a diverse background. Having lived in many countries, each with their own unique culture and way of life, I encountered a wide variety of music. But amid these different rhythms, I find myself gravitating towards pop songs sung in many languages. Even if I can’t understand the lyrics, the melodies speak to me in a universal language that sparks my curiosity and sometimes even nostalgia.

I love to discover unfamiliar artists and explore new music. In fact, I find some of my favorite songs when I am introduced to them by friends. In high school, my biology teacher would ask us to create playlists, which she would play before the start of the class. My love for diverse music must have caught her attention because she told my parents that she thought I wanted to become a musician.

It’s fascinating to see how music can bring people together and help us find common ground regardless of where we come from. In this playlist, I have included songs not in my native languages, such as “Sar Bu Şehri” in Turkish, and “Jonim” and “Layli” in Uzbek. Additionally, I have added Arabic songs by Nancy Ajram and DYSTINCT, including “Ehsas Jdid,” which portrays a touching love story between Ajram and a deaf man. I always get emotional watching this song’s music video.

Some of the tunes on this playlist are a mix of languages, such as “KALMADIN” by Amor999 and Lizzy. I invite you to listen to each song and discover the beautiful rhythms that I hold dear. Who knows, you may even discover a new favorite song or artist. So, sit back, relax, and let the music take you to new and exciting places. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Alisa Samuel on discovering the truth behind your own writing Samuel speaks about the publishing lessons that led to her recent chapbook, Post-Funeral Dance.

Julia Skoczypiec Arts & Entertainment Editor

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n March 5, 2023, I attended a book launch at House of Anansi Press in Toronto. The event, hosted by Anstruther Press—a Toronto-based chapbook publisher—included readings from writers EJ Kniefel, Emma Rhodes, Trynne Delaney, and Alisa Samuel to celebrate their recently published work.

Samuel, a student in the Professional Writing and Communication (PWC) program at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), is The Medium’s Sports & Health Editor and author of the chapbook Post-Funeral Dance. After the event, I spoke with Samuel about the influences behind her poetry and on her experiences within the publishing world.

“My chapbook is 20 pages, the standard size for Anstruther, and contains mostly haiku alongside some longer blank-spaced, free-verse poems, and a piece of flash fiction,” Samuel said. Compared to larger-form poetry collections, chapbooks typically don’t exceed 40 pages.

Samuel wrote the poems for her chapbook over the summer of 2021 in an introductory-level creative writing course with Professor Kateri Lanthier and teaching assistant Lily Wang—this was the first time she wrote poetry. By analyzing and imitating the works of other poets, Samuel realized her love for “the minimalism, gentleness, and emotional potency of haiku, along with its observational nature and history.” She used the techniques of haiku in Post-Funeral Dance to reflect on grief, violence, and the mundanity of everyday life.

While she did not write with the intention to publish, Samuel expressed that it was curiosity that encouraged her to email a manuscript of poems to Jim Johnstone, the Editor-in-Chief of Anstruther.

“As I was flipping through a U of T magazine, I came across Anstruther’s name in a student author’s bio,” said Samuel. “The

student had no formal writing background and was studying anthropology. I thought if she could publish a chapbook, I can at least try, for the sake of gaining work experience outside of academia.” Samuel has taken other creative writing courses at UTM, served as the Editor-in-Chief of Mindwaves for volume 15—PWC’s student-led journal of creative non-fiction—and worked as a research assistant for former UTM writing Professor Geoff Bouvier in the Department of English.

As writing is often a vulnerable process, I asked Samuel how she decided to trust readers with Post-Funeral Dance. “I didn’t make a conscious decision to entrust readers with all that my poems might reveal about me,” she answered. “I’m okay with them taking whatever they will from their readings, knowing that any interpretation of art is essentially a reflection of the perceiver’s mentality—not of the actual experiences expressed by the artist.”

Regarding her connection with audiences, Samuel likes to hear directly from readers. “Not too long ago, a Saskatchewan poet emailed me with congratulations on Post-Funeral Dance, saying that she was deeply touched by it,” she shared. “For me, if there’s any reward in embracing the vulnerability of creative

JULIE MARCHAND

pursuits and writing anecdotally, it’s that—hearing from others and listening to what they have to say in response.”

Finally, to conclude, Samuel spoke about her earliest publication, a lyric essay that appeared in a Canadian literary magazine in 2020. Like her chapbook, she wrote this essay for a course taught by Professor Bouvier in her first year at UTM. Professor Bouvier now teaches the essay to mid-level creative writing students at Virginia Commonwealth University.

“I’ve visited a couple of his classes as a guest speaker to discuss the making of my essay and to answer any questions his students might have as they work on their own,” she explained. “In one of those talks, a student asked me if I regretted publishing the piece, as it makes personal assessments of family, history, religion, and trauma.” Inspired by the body horror films of David Cronenberg, the essay was based on beliefs that Samuel no longer holds.

She said: “I basically say [in the essay that] I’m lost and can’t be found, because who I am is fragmented, in pieces everywhere, even across time, mirroring the sort of gory brokenness I’ve seen and come to know of this world.”

Two months ago, the magazine removed the essay from their site at Samuel’s request.

“The thing is, no matter how hard I felt and believed in what I wrote in the moment, to say that I’m nothing but akin to the image of some dead or dying mutilated body is simply wrong,” Samuel confessed. “In that essay, the identity I selfishly proclaim, rooted in filmic abstractions, grievance culture, and depression, is a proud lie, and I don’t want my work to tell lies, because I aim to live in the truth that I, like anyone else, can in fact live in pain and concurrently be made whole through faith.”

Following her experience with publishing, Samuel’s advice to student writers is this: “The excitement that comes from potentially adding a publishing credit to your resume is persuasive. In our increasingly digitalized and interconnected world, however, consider your reasons and motivations for publishing schoolwork, especially under your real name. Just because some idea is popular doesn’t make it true.”

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Recognizing Rihanna’s diverse discography and rise to fame With smash hits that continue to reach music milestones, Rihanna’s artistry does not go unnoticed.

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s fans had speculated, Rihanna has distanced herself from the music industry. Although Anti, her last studio album, was released in 2016, the singer, actress, and businesswoman performed an unforgettable show at this year’s Super Bowl LVII—reminding us that despite her absence from the charts in the last six years, her success in music remains indisputable.

Robyn Rihanna Fenty is, in my opinion, one of the most influential and successful artists of all time. Setting aside her music endeavours, Rihanna found success in the business world in 2017—with the launch of her multi-billion dollar makeup enterprise, Fenty Beauty. Through her line of high-quality products, Rihanna has reshaped society’s views on beauty. According to Time Magazine, “Fenty’s unabashed celebration of inclusivity in their makeup campaigns put an unprecedented spotlight on the need for diverse beauty products.”

Signed to her first label, Def Jam Recordings, at only 16 years old, Rihanna released her debut single, “Pon de Replay” in 2005. The hit charted top five in 11 countries and made number one on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs. Rihanna’s first album, Music of the Sun (2005), sold over one million copies.

Released only a year after Music of the Sun, Rihanna’s second album, A Girl like Me (2006), became an instant success and was certified platinum. The album’s lead single, “SOS,” reached number one on Billboard’s Hot 100, and stayed in this crowning position for three weeks.

As she gained palpable recognition and praise, 2007 proved to be the year that would determine the popstar’s ever-growing success. Rihanna’s hit single, “Umbrella,” brought international exposure and earned her and JAY-Z a Grammy Award. Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, exposed an artistic shift in Rihanna’s image and representation. Transforming into an edgy, sassy, and alluring figure, Rihanna showcased her growth

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Mariana Dominguez Rodriguez Contributor

through enticing music videos and extravagant stage performances. Taking her album’s name literally, Rihanna curated a powerful image, transforming herself from a teen star into a confident, independent woman.

Since the reigning success of Good Girl Gone Bad, Rihanna has released five more studio albums. The star has collaborated with many other artists, including Sean Paul, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, Shakira, Eminem, and Drake. Some of Rihanna’s biggest hits, like “Love On The Brain,” “Disturbia,” and “Don’t Stop The Music,” continue to impact pop culture and the music industry today.

Until this year’s Super Bowl half-time show, the singer had not been on stage since the 2018 Grammy Awards, where she performed “Wild Thoughts” with DJ Khaled. Since then, her performance, fashion, and dance styles have changed. Rihanna’s 2023 half-time show featured snippets of a dozen of her smash hits. Her performance incorporated pageant-inspired dance moves—choreographed by Parris Goebel—robust light effects, and an ode to Fenty Beauty, as the star playfully touched up her makeup using her own beauty products. The show surprised audiences with her second pregnancy reveal.

Rihanna’s return to the stage this year reminded listeners that her songs are not tunes of the past. Her stance as a female artist, entrepreneur, and mother encourages women worldwide to accomplish anything they put their minds to.

How Fiddler on the Roof represents the evolution of traditions Examining the historic musical-drama that has revolutionized film and music.

Megan Freedman Associate Arts & Entertainment Editor

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radition! Tevye the Milkman’s (Chaim Topol) entire world revolved around that one word. Sadly, this well-known, Fiddler on the Roof (1971) actor passed away on March 9, 2023 at the age of 87. His legacy will not be forgotten.

Directed by Norman Jewison, the film was adapted from a musical of the same name. The title Fiddler on the Roof symbolizes the instability of the Jewish community in Russia. In the film, Tevye claimed that “without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as… a fiddler on the roof!” The movie’s plot revolves around Tevye, who is desperate to hold onto his traditions as his three eldest daughters, Tzeitel (Rosalind Harris), Hodel (Michele Marsh), and Chava (Neva Small) wish to marry for love—rather than follow a tradition that states, “husbands should be chosen by the papa.”

Tevye also struggles to hold onto his little village of Anatevka while the Russian Tsar orders “Pogroms”—meaning “violent attacks”—on Jewish villages across the country. With a runtime of three hours, divided into two acts, the 1971 movie-musical is jampacked with heart, culture, and some of the most legendary songs to come out of 20th century Broadway.

Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway in 1964, based on the folk tales Tevye and His

Daughters by Sholem Aleichem. Together with script, lyric, and music writers Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, the show became a hit. While comedian Zero Mostel starred in the first production, Topol became most associated with the character—starring as Tevye on stage and screen from 1967 to 2009. Topol went on to earn an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Tevye.

In fact, Fiddler on the Roof was tied with The French Connection (1971) and The Last Picture Show (1971) for the most nominations at the 44th Academy awards. The film took home three wins out of their eight nominations.

The first hour and forty minutes of the film are rather jubilant, with four of the most iconic songs—“Tradition,” “Matchmaker,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “To Life”—appearing within the first hour. Tevye describes the importance of Jewish traditions. He always keeps his head covered and wears a prayer shawl—a tallit—to remind

IMDb.com

his people that they are connected to God. Throughout this first act, hints of what will follow are given, as townsmen crowd around a newspaper that reports of pogroms in a nearby village. Tevye’s imaginary Fiddler (Tutte Lemkow) appears when tradition is challenged in Anatevka.

At the wedding of Tevye’s eldest daughter, Tzeitel, to her tailor Motel (Leonard Frey), a constable (Louis Zorich) interrupts and destroys the celebrations. The constable tells Tevye that “it’s just orders.” Because of the long runtime, an “Entr’acte”—meaning interlude—just after the pogrom at the wedding gave the 1971 theatrical audience an intermission.

When the second act begins, Tevye’s second oldest, Hodel, challenges Tevye’s traditions when she tells him that she is engaged to a Bolshevik scholar named Perchik (Paul Michael Glaser). The couple informs Tevye that they are not asking for his permission to get married—they only ask for his blessing.

Tevye initially refuses, but when Perchik expresses his love for Hodel he says that “love” is a “new style” and acknowledges that the traditions they have abided by since birth were once new thoughts. Tevye then states that he believes Hodel and Perchik have the same matchmaker as Adam and Eve: God. Misfortune, however, comes down on Tevye’s house when Perchik is arrested in Kiev during a protest. Perchik is sent to Siberia, and Hodel goes with him, promising her father that they “will be married under a canopy”—referring to the Jewish chuppah.

Change persists in Anatevka as Motel and Tzeitel welcome a “new arrival,” a sewing machine. As a result, the village becomes a newer, more modern world. But turmoil arises in Tevye’s family as he discovers that his third daughter, Chava, wishes to marry Fyedka (Ray Lovelock), a Christian man.

Tevye does not approve of their marriage, so Chava elopes; Tevye disowns her for abandoning her Jewish faith.

The film ends with a notice of eviction to all Jewish residents of the Pale of Settlement in Imperial Russia, and the people of Anatevka make plans to scatter across the globe. When someone mentions to Tevye that his ancestors have been forced out of the country, Tevye states, “maybe that’s why we always wear our hats”—a callback to his earlier description of traditions.

Fiddler on the Roof, as a musical and film, has an incredible legacy. The song “Sunrise, Sunset” has become a staple wedding song—it has even been rewritten by lyricist Sheldon Harnick for same sex weddings. “If I Were a Rich Man” was famously covered

by Gwen Stefani and released as “Rich Girl.”

“The Bottle Dance” from the wedding is one of the most iconic dances choreographed for the stage and screen. Productions in the Yiddish language have been adapted for global audiences to enjoy. While Fiddler on the Roof is very much about the oppression that Jewish people have faced throughout history, it is able to connect with audiences of wider cultures—because people worldwide fight to hold on to traditions and family.

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sports & health

Editor | Alisa Samuel sports@themedium.ca

Aidan Thompson: From Revisiting She reluctant child athlete to Moves 2023: university sports competitor The annual The hockey player talks about shooting for UTM Eagles’ very U of T event own Miracle on Ice. that honours women’s health Kaitlyn Harris Contributor

On March 8, to commemorate International Women’s Day, UTM’s RAWC and HCC invited women students to try fun activities and group fitness classes.

Alanna Sethi Contributor

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ven before I stepped inside, I could feel the upbeat music blasting through the gym. I hurried in, eager to see everything.

There was a pop-up desk filled with all sorts of prizes for the first students who attended—a bright orange water bottle, a cool grey fanny pack, and a skipping rope. I walked over to one of the friendly faces at the desk who held out the day’s schedule, which included a map layout of the various stations at the gym. Energy and excitement arose throughout my body, and before even heading over to the Zumba class, I couldn’t help dancing… just a little.

Female-identifying students were invited to celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through an event jointly hosted by the Recreation, Athletic & Wellness Centre (RAWC), UTM Moves, and the Health and Counselling Centre at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM).

She Moves is a large-scale tri-campus event, with each campus offering something unique. UTM held a variety of twenty-minute fitness sessions, with three sessions per hour. Students were able to drop-by according to their schedules and experience group fitness classes including bootcamp, indoor cycling, Pilates, Total Resistance Exercises, yoga, and Zumba. Badminton and Basketball courts were also set up for a lively round of sport. Some students had a splash down at the pool where the latest aquatic additions to the schedule, like Stand-Up Paddle-Board Pilates, were featured.

To support students with any other fitness goals, personal trainers were also available for consultations.

It was a busy day with lots of fun and laughs, and as students walked out the door, you could see how they felt from their beaming smiles as they clutched their stickered sheets—proof they had attended the various fitness sessions—and hugged their prizes in hand. They left happy, empowered, and inspired.

To explore more fun at the RAWC, sign up and drop-in anytime for group fitness classes or book online for 3x30 minute complementary one-to-one personal training sessions.

AIMEE PADILLO

>> AIDAN THOMPSON continued from page 01

But the team was back and ready to compete for the 20222023 season.

Now a centre for the Eagles, Thompson is preparing for a playoff match against the talented St. George Black squad.

While facing the championship favourite in a knockout round may sound intimidating, the team is drawing motivation from an important win against St. George earlier this season.

Thompson credits the Eagles’ captain, Hussam Abdulnabi, for willing the team to victory on February 1, 2023, with one of his legendary locker room speeches. In the speech, the captain stressed how “he knows that every single one of us has another gear, and how it’s just a matter of locking that in and doing every single thing that we can to beat this team,” Thompson explains. When the Eagles came up with a 3-2 win, “it was this Hollywood moment that I think everyone was smiling about for days afterwards.”

While he hopes for another Hollywood moment in the playoffs, it’s ultimately the sense of team spirit that keeps drawing Thompson back to the sport. “The hockey team has

definitely been a place where I’ve made a lot of friends— and a lot of good friends,” he says. Coaches Power and Peter Christopoulos are also important figures that “pour a lot of energy and time into [the Eagles]” in order to continue the legacy of competitive hockey at UTM. Looking forward, Thompson plans to return to UTM in the fall to complete his major studies in the Professional Writing and Communication program. As he works towards a career in journalism, he doesn’t see himself getting too far from the sport he loves. “Whether it’s beer league hockey, pond hockey, or just going for afternoon skates at the local community centre, it’ll definitely be something that’s always in my life,” he concludes.

Shining stars Following a disappointing first half of the 2022/23 season, strong performances from key players drive the Raptors towards post-season success.

Justyn Aleluia Columnist

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he NBA hosted the 72nd All-Star Weekend from February 17-19, 2023, where Scottie Barnes and Pascal Siakam represented the Raptors. Barnes participated in the Jordan Rising Stars event, playing for the winning “Team Pau” and leading the team in the final. Siakam played for the winner of the All-Star game, “Team Giannis,” putting up 12 points and seven rebounds in 15 minutes.

Despite being the only official all-star for the Raptors, Siakam is not the only player on the team who has been performing at an all-star level. Jakob Poeltl has successfully adapted to Head Coach Nick Nurse’s famous defensive system.

Since being traded, Poeltl increased his steals per game by almost one steal and improved his field goal percentage by a significant 15 per cent. The latter has been a crucial component to the Raptors’ positive six-to-four run, as the team is ranked near the bottom of the league in field goal percentage. Poeltl’s standout performance, including a 30-point, nine-rebound, and six-block game against the Orlando Magic, showed fans that he is well worth the first-round pick he was traded for.

While Poeltl has excited fans, Fred VanVleet has been a point of frustration. His season-long

inconsistencies continue through his horrible field goal percentage and game-deciding moves.

The guard has also been dealing with a lot off the court. He took a three-game absence from the team because of a death in his family, his birthday, and the birth of his third child. Fans were hopeful for the return of his iconic “dad powers.” He did not disappoint. In a four-game stretch after his return, he averaged double his season assist per game mark.

In those games, the Raptors put on strong performances against key opponents. In the first game, they beat the Chicago Bulls 104-98 with the help of a 19-point performance by Gary Trent Jr. Then, they headed to Washington, where they split a two-game series against the Wizards. The wins against the Wizards and Bulls came at a dire time, with both teams being only a couple of games behind the Raptors for the ninth seed.

The final game of that significant four-game stretch came against likely MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. The Raptors looked like they were about to win until the final minutes of the fourth quarter, when a miss by Siakam, a turnover

by VanVleet, and some controversial foul calls changed the course of the game, leading to a heartbreaking loss.

As the Raptors head into the season’s final games, they face a challenging schedule. With nearly a dozen games remaining, Toronto is set to play against the league’s top four teams six times, making their remaining schedule one of the best in the NBA.