Volume 52 Issue 3

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

Issue 3 Volume 52 September 15, 2025

themedium.ca

HCC BE WELL FAIR

MY CULTURE, WORN.

ART CLUBS AT UTM

On September 18, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) will host its eighth annual Be Well UTM: Resource & Activity Fair. The fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Gym A/B. Organized by the Health & Counselling Centre (HCC).

As I get ready to take on whatever the day has in store for me, something that is constant is my jewelry—the gold and diamond encrusted necklace that my grandmother made in honour of my birth. I wear the memories of my family back home in India, they remind me of who I am and how far I have come. >> read more on page 04

As the academic year begins, many events take place on campus to welcome both new and returning students. One of these events is the annual UTM Club fair, which showcases the variety of student societies and clubs that truly bring the campus to life.

>> read more on page 02

>> read more on page 07

SPORTS & HEALTH

Laughter, Tears, and T-Shirts: The rollercoaster of UTM intramurals Joseph Falzata Sports & Health Editor Deadlines to register for fall intramurals are quickly approaching!

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e all have those things in our life that remind us of something we wish to forget. For a soccer player, it might be the pair of cleats they wore when they skied the game-winning penalty over the crossbar (sorry team). For some students, it could be the dust-covered chemistry textbook from their first year class that caused them to drop out of their program (sorry mom and dad). But for me, there’s one thing that haunts me every time I see it…

Collage by Melody Zhou

NEWS

Start your future career at UTM’s annual Get Hired Fair Aqeel Shahid Ullah Contributer This annual university fair gives students the chance to network, build their resume, and explore future career opportunities.

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he University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM)’s annual Get Hired Fair is right around the corner, set to occur this Wednesday, September 17, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The drop-in event will take place in the Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC), located next to the William G. Davis Building.

Open to all U of T students and recent graduates, the fair will feature multiple booths ranging from employers seeking potential hires to career coaches. It is a significant occasion for anybody interested in developing their future careers. >> GET HIRED FAIR continues on page 02

>> UTM INTRAMURALS continues on page 10

OPINION

Decolonising our palette Zainab Hassan Contributor

ritual of sharing it with others. Usually halwa puri is served in large portions, often shared among small groups of people.

Food is not just food, it is who we are.

I have it every Eid, whenever my relatives come to visit, and sometimes on my birthday.

Now, my mother and I use it to celebrate my homecoming.

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ver the four years that I’ve been away at university, I’ve had to construct new traditions for myself to stay connected to my culture and my family. One of my favourites is one I share with my mother. Every summer, I, somehow, end up on a flight back to Pakistan that will land early in the morning. And every summer my mother will pick me up from the airport and take me to have halwa puri for breakfast as my “first meal back home.”

For those who don’t know, halwa puri is a traditional breakfast, served in both Indian and Pakistani households, consumed to celebrate festivities, religious events, or simply the arrival of the weekend. The significance of the dish isn’t just the food itself, but rather of the

>> DECOLONISING continues on page 04

illustrated by Adanna Scott

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News

Editor | Aaron Calpito news@themedium.ca

Start Your Future Career At Utm’s Annual Get Hired Fair ( Contd. from Page 01)

The second workshop, which will occur on September 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00

Aqeel Shahid Ullah Contributer

p.m., will take place in the Student Services Hub Activity Room (DV 2220). Unlike the first workshop, the second workshop requires registration and has limited spaces, as it dives deeper into what exactly employers are looking for and how students can

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he Get Hired Fair will feature more than 50 employers. Recruiters at this year’s

leave a good first impression.

fair hail from several well-established businesses, such as TD Bank, Nestlé, Bell,

and SOTI, just to name a few.

This workshop will help students practice what they plan to say to recruiters at the fair, and the last thirty minutes will be dedicated to a Q&A session with UTM’s Indus-

The fair gives students the opportunity to explore employment pathways from intern-

try Engagement Specialists that will allow students to gain further insights into their

ships to full-time jobs, whether they’re a student building their resume or a graduate

potential employers.

beginning their professional career. The event will also be a chance for those looking to improve their networking skills, as there will be several recruiters eager to answer

With multiple supportive workshops and an inclusive space for minority groups, the

questions and connect with students.

fair is not just a networking event, but a significant stepping stone for those aiming to build their careers. Whether you attend to obtain a job, gain career insights, or just

Additionally, before the event opens to the general student body, the fair will open

network with others, the Get Hired Fair is sure to be a valuable investment in your

from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. exclusively for students and alumni who face unique chal-

future.

lenges in the job market, particularly those with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, the Black community, and Indigenous peoples, among others.

In preparation for the fair, the Career Centre will hold two workshops to assist students.

Photo by Aaron Calpito

Photo Credits: Melody Zhou

The first workshop will occur on September 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Student Services Hub Cove, located on the second floor of the Davis Building. Much

Photo Credits: Melody Zhou

like the fair, the workshop is a drop-in session that promises to help students learn how to network and benefit as much as possible from their fair experience.

This workshop will also share information about the fair, such as the employers attending, the types of opportunities available, and the recruiters that may be interested in someone from a particular academic background.

HCC to host eighth annual Be Well Fair Emma Catarino Contributor UTM’s Health & Counselling Centre yearly fair connects students with resources and activities designed to teach them how to manage and cope with schoolwork, stress, and mental health issues.

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n September 18, the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) will host its eighth annual Be Well UTM: Resource & Activity Fair. The fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Gym A/B. Organized by the Health & Counselling Centre (HCC), the fair is billed as a way for students to unwind and de-stress, while also teaching students skills like how to study better and how to cope with mental health issues.

The fair “is an event focused on encouraging conversations and creating opportunities for students to learn

and connect with a wide range of mental health and wellness resources available on campus and within the broader Peel community,” according to HCC Medical Director Dr. Erin Kraftcheck. “Now in its eighth year, it has become HCC’s signature event, and is shaped by ongoing feedback received by students who connect with HCC.” The fair consists of five pillars, each of which has its own events: be informed; be inspired; be connected; be present; and be active.

Be informed focuses on raising awareness about resources, both on campus and throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which students can access to help improve their well-being. UTM offers on-campus mental and physical health resources, like counselling, free visits with on-site doctors and nurses, and de-stressor days with therapy dogs. For those who commute to school, the GTA also has many resources like the Suicide Hotline, Planned Parenthood, CAMH, and more, all of which will be noted in the event.

Be inspired is about learning how to improve your overall health and happiness. This event will feature four professors: Professor Jordana Garbati, Professor Jane Davis, Professor Joanna Chung, and Professor Kara Dymond, each of whom are scheduled to speak for an hour about their area of expertise.

Professor Davis is an award-winning occupational therapist with an extensive education in understanding occupation and its development. She has also researched mental health and substance abuse, and has her own pedagogical scholarship for those who are interested in pursuing an education in occupation.

Professor Kara Dymond is an author and researcher whose work is centred around mental disabilities and inclusivity. She was diagnosed with autism and ADHD, which inspired her to write her novel, The Autism Lens.

She has been a strong advocate for the inclusivity of these disabilities both in the classroom and elsewhere.

Be inspired will also feature presentations by different faculties at UTM. The Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre will teach students how to create a “healthy study plan,” the UTM Sustainability Office will be speaking on ways to cope with anxiety surrounding climate change, and the UTM Office of Indigenous Initiatives will be teaching students about the use of tobacco and its ties to the Native people of Canada.

According to the HCC, physical activities like organized sports, going to the gym, or even just going for walks have been proven to release hormones that improve mood.

Thus, be active and be present entail hands-on, self-care,

03 and physical activities. Activities like bean bag toss, giant Jenga, and football toss will be open for students to bring their friends to and get their bodies moving.

Be present also stresses the importance of taking mental health breaks to avoid burnout. Henna, massages and a photobooth will be present for students to de-stress.

In what is sure to be a fan-favourite event, Dino, UTM’s resident therapy dog, will also attend the fair.

In conjunction with the HCC’s initiative, the Centre for Student Engagement will be hosting the CCR Commu-

nity Café, where students can interact and meet new people. This event aims to foster a sense of community on campus, giving students the opportunity to support one another and share strategies for maintaining their physical and mental health.

Fahim. “This event truly captures the spirit of mental health promotion, education, and awareness. The more we can encourage conversations about mental health, the more we can contribute to decreasing the stigma that still exists today.”

“We hope that students will join us at the Be Well UTM and feel empowered to have open conversations about mental health, connect with mental health experts, and engage in a wide variety of activities to encourage selfcare and support their wellbeing,” said HCC Assistant Director of Health Promotion and Evaluation Myra

Being “UTM’s biggest annual wellness and mental health fair,” the event is expected to attract many students and faculty alike, and will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the UTM community. More details about the event can be found on the HCC’s web page or by following @utmhccwellness on Instagram.

Opinion

Editor | Yasmine Benabderrahmane opinion@themedium.ca

You’re not ethically sustainable, you’re Sinophobic!

Yasmine Benabderrahmane Opinion Editor

Illustrated by Aria Zheng China isn’t the rightful litmus of morality; your attitude towards an exploitative and capitalist system is.

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Chinese sentiments that transcend mere politics in the West. It allows for the critique of non-Western practices, like Chinese manufacturing and e-Commerce, not from a place of well-intended activism, but from a colonial sense of moral superiority.

But, China has taken note of the Sinphobic sentiments, upheld not only by the West but by the world, against Chinese imports. In fact in Japan, the “Made in China” tags were rebranded to “Made in PCR” (People’s Chinese Republic) to boost sales across stores locally.

Sinophobia in North America

SHEIN, Temu, and Ethical Consumption

The presence of institutionalised Sinophobia in North America dates to the nineteenth century, where mass migration of Chinese workers was demanded by the US and Canadian mining and industrial workforces alike.

The growing population of the Chinese community on the continent marked “the rise of discriminatory political rhetoric, campaigns, and policies.”

In collaboration with the culture of instant gratification and its convenience, the popularity of online shopping has grown expeditiously.

By 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed in the US, restricting the immigration of Chinese labourers and imposing a barrier on the assimilation processes of AsianAmericans already residing within the country. Similarly, in 1923, Canada imposed the Chinese Exclusion Act, bred on a culture of sinophobia.

hey claim that God created life and the rest was made in China. For the past five decades, the “Made in China” tag has haunted our standards of consumption, treating China as a monolith of production.

But, institutionalised discrimination does not exist in a vacuum. It was a reflection of collective anti-Chinese sentiments and a fear linked to Western moral preservation.

In Western societies, interacting with Chinese manufacturing has become a litmus of morality. Warped in tendencies to operate within a fabricated moral framework, we have created an illusion of ethical consumerism (ironically) under a capitalist system.

China, the Global Market, and Fashion

So, it appears to be evident that companies like SHEIN and Temu are prone to mass critique. Now, I do not argue for their defense and I understand that, in many cases, these two companies have contributed to the mass exploitation of labour and the epidemic of fast fashion.

But, to critique Chinese e-Commerce as a monolith, whilst overlooking the double standard that exists when assessing the ethics of fashion, revokes the validity of ethical sustainability activism.

Western Morality and Orientalism Since the Enlightenment era, the West has presented itself as the epitome of human evolution and ideological progress. This came at the cost of subjugating other cultures, primarily through the critique of moral and ethical standards—like condemning communities of malpractice, while dignifying Western morality on a pedestal.

As Edward Said described in his work Orientalism (1978), part of the West’s doing is creating a polar division between the Orient (the ‘East’) and the Occident (the ‘West’): where the Occident is disciplined, rational, and progressive, the Orient is dangerous exotic, and irrational.

That precise ideology finds itself rooted in the anti-

By the 1970s, amidst the Cold War period, global perceptions of China were tainted by fears of foreign intervention. Simultaneously in 1978, China opened its economy to the global market and introduced free market policies.

In a span of three decades, China became one of the largest global industrial and manufacturing powers, surpassing the US in 2010. The attraction of Chinese production had also stemmed from the cheaper pricing of the goods, where a larger national labour force was available to meet the high consumption needs of the global market.

However, in 2008, two manufacturing scandals in China broke in global news, tainting the world’s reception of Chinese goods.

The first, the 2008 Chinese Milk Scandal, found raw milk contents deliberately added to milk products, resulting in six reported deaths and multiple health concerns. The second, the Liangshan Child Labour Scandal, revealed the exploitation of child labour in Liangshan, raising questions on the ethics of Chinese manufacturing. It must also be noted that both scandals were instances of ethical standards violations, a result of China’s effort to meet the global demand of production.

Since the scandals, Chinese production has become stereotypically synonymous with unreliability and unsustainability; since then, the “Made in China” tag has become a symbol of poor factory conditions and minimum wage work.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, many resorted to online shopping, and e-Commerce fashion companies saw their business models flourish; SHEIN and Temu being two of the many. As the market for online fashion companies grew, so did critiques of overconsumption and the morality of fast fashion.

While most critiques against SHEIN and Temu are valid within the scope of labour exploitation and overproduction, these arguments are often reserved solely to Chinese e-Commerce, tainting China as a monolith of production, and overlook the West’s mass contribution to unethical consumption.

For example, in an article on the fashion blog GITTEMARY, activists have raised concerns for the lack of transparency of SHEIN, claiming the rates are comparable “to a laughable degree”, framing the issue to solely reside within the labours ethics of China. Yet, there were no mentions on the historical scoring of 0% transparency by Western name-brands including Splash, Tom Ford, Savage x Fenty, and Fashion Nova.

Another popular critique is often directed towards the piece-work payment that SHEIN and Temu implement, a payment system that relies on production, rather than the traditional hourly-rate, which activists have claimed to “force [workers] to continuously work harder.” However, piece-work payment is a system that has existed for centuries, and is implemented across multiple industries to ensure compensation—thus, its exploitation occurs across the globe, only to be reduced to a ‘uniquely-Chinese’ problem.

Moreover, critiques of using Uyghur forced labour by the Chinese government when discussing SHEIN and Temu is valid and may be well-intended in nature, but has provided people the luxury of performative activism: to only remember the Uyghur in reference to Chinese production. Such has bred an insensitivity when advocating for the Uyghur community, especially in reference to the rights of freedom of religious practice.

So, while these critics are aligned with reasonable worries, they rest ineffective when they are catered and targeted against a single nation, laced with a history of xenophobia. China isn’t the rightful litmus of morality; your attitude towards an exploitative and capitalist system is.

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My culture, worn.

Jia Bawa Podcast Manager

struggle, devotion, and strength.

India, a powerhouse in the Global South, has held one of the largest reserves of gold and jewels globally, with Indian women alone currently owning 11% of the world’s gold. Much of it, however, has depleted, a fault of colonial looting. The very heritage that families, like mine, hold on to through neckpieces, was also the target of centuries of imperial plunder.

Colonial powers have also historically disregarded jewellery as culture. They saw it as attainable capital. The infamously greedy British empire, for example, weaponised gold and jewels for domination. One by one, India’s treasures were looted: the Koh-i-Noor diamond, for example, extracted under “dubious circumstances”, still sits in the British Crown Jewels. This significant depletion of jewels carried a particularly devastating weight for Indian women.

When the colonisers raided treasuries, confiscated gold, and destabilised local economies, they didn’t just financially drain empires; they dismantled the only form of security that South Asian women could control.

Their independence, in times of crisis, sat caged in a stuffy, trophy room somewhere in the depths of Britain. Plunder was economic and social theft, but more importantly, it heightened women’s precarity in an already patriarchal society.

This transformation from heritage to commodity was deliberate. Jewellery that once circulated within families and communities was ripped out of cultural contexts and displayed in British museums and crowns. Its value was mocked. No longer a symbol of continuity, it became a marker of colonial wealth and superiority.

Illustrated by Sehaj Wander

Jewellery is a haunting reminder that what glitters in Western vaults was never theirs to begin with.

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hen I adorn myself in jewellery, I do so to carry with me a defining part of my identity.

As I get ready to take on whatever the day has in store for me, something that is constant is my jewelry—the gold and diamond encrusted necklace that my grandmother made in honour of my birth. My mother’s rings, adorning my fingers, and its the blue sapphire reminiscent of my great aunt. I wear the memories of my family back home in India, they remind me of who I am and how far I have come.

For us, women of the Global South, jewellery is more than a mere status symbol or worn to flaunt one’s net worth. It is an inheritance of culture. From the day we open our eyes, to the day we close them, jewellery is woven throughout, symbolizing a sense of belonging, of family, and of tradition. Beyond financial wealth, it is an indicator of cultural richness.

To Indian women, for instance, jewelry was never just adornment. In times where women were fundamentally stripped of their agency and made to be entirely dependent on their husbands for quality of life—excluded from legitimate work or being able to own property—jewellery was akin to hidden savings. Jewellery, through dowry, was a source of insurance.

If a woman’s husband died, abandoned the family or fell into debt, she was served a security by her gold to sell and survive. In India, a woman’s red and gold bangles, shimmering under the moonlight, was a lifeline; a measure of protection in a system that left her otherwise dependent.

In the West, however, a chest full of jewellery has historically been a physical display of the wealth that one has accumulated, rather than a covert tool. For the West, jewellery is tied to class and status.

Meanwhile, the Global South has noted jewellery as a living archive, a physical preservation of stories of

Even today, ownership of these jewels reveals the persistence of colonial logics. Consider the Patiala Necklace. Designed in 1925 by Cartier for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, it included over 2,900 diamonds and at the centrepiece, was the DeBeers, one of the world’s largest yellow diamonds. By the mid-20th century, parts of it had disappeared, and Cartier later restored it using synthetic stones.

At the 2022 Met Gala, influencer Emma Chamberlain wore the necklace. Worn by by a white influencer, after its Photo Miya Kwan adornment was denied by Cartier to an Indian singer, Diljit Dosanjh, was a reminder of the Western colonialism and of its persistent bloodshed.

It is proof that colonial extraction didn’t end in the 19th century; it just took on a new form. Today, the global jewellery industry continues to exploit Asia and Africa, profiting off of child labour in diamond fields, and toxic gold mining that devastates and wipes out entire communities.

To me, jewellery remains what it always was: a connection to my heritage. When I wear my grandmother’s gold chain, I don’t think of it as a symbol of wealth. I think of it as a symbol of strength, of belonging to a family and a culture that survived despite colonial theft.

MASTHEAD EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Aya Yafaoui editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Samuel Kamalendran managing@themedium.ca News Aaron Calpito news@themedium.ca Opinion Yasmine Benabderrahmane opinion@themedium.ca Features Gisele Tang features@themedium.ca A&E Yusuf Larizza-Ali arts@themedium.ca Sports Joseph Falzata sports@themedium.ca Photo Melody Zhou photos@themedium.ca Design Sehajleen Wander design@themedium.ca Podcast Jia Bawa Social Media Jannine Uy Outreach Mashiyat Ahmed Copy May Alsaigh may@themedium.ca Anaam Khan anaam@themedium.ca

Reclaiming the meaning of jewellery is a step towards rejecting the colonial narrative that reduces it to luxury and excess. It means acknowledging the exploitative industries still profiting off the Global South and refusing to romanticise European crowns and museums that display stolen artifacts.

We know that Europe is not the owner of these riches. It never was. The gold adorning my fingers tell an entirely different story; a story of cultural richness, resilience, and resistance.

Jewellery is more than material wealth. It is a haunting reminder that what glitters in Western vaults was never theirs to begin with.

Jewellery is more than material wealth. It is a haunting reminder that what glitters in Western vaults was never theirs to begin with.

TO CONTRIBUTE & CONNECT:

themedium.ca/contact @themediumUTM @themediumUTM @themessageUTM

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Decolonising our palette Zainab Hassan Contributor

rica—it is typical to eat food with your hands. Like nsima, or palov.

All classified by UNESCO as artifacts of cultural heritage and all traditionally eaten by hands. Yet most restaurants, when adapting the cuisines, style dishes to be eaten with a knife and fork instead, and many people consider it odd to eat with their hands in public.

On social media, discussions of food etiquette loom around us—often determining that it is proper to eat with utensils, rather than using your hands directly. While this may not be inherently bad, it does push forward a specific narrative: that there is a polite and impolite way to eat. It echoes the way colonisers diminish and destroy the cultures of the colonised, by painting them as “savages” and “uncivilised,” rather than appreciating their beauty.

There are other ways we divorce food from its traditions, too. Many dishes come in large servings to foster a sense of community, yet fine dining restaurants enforce minimalist single servings. Traditional dishes meant to foster health and strength in those who eat them are discarded for containing “too many calories,” replaced with protein powders and the diets of the day. Our dishes, once made with love, joy, and effort, are now disregarded as nothing but sustenance.

Illustrated by Adanna Scott

Many dishes around the world are similar; significant both in their ingredients and their rituals—the cooking, the presentation, and its consumption. And while we’ve reached a point where it is acceptable to eat other cuisines, we have yet to embrace their rituals. How can we claim to decolonise the food we eat, when we keep divorcing it from its context—when we keep rejecting the culture surrounding it?

It is clear that for many, our food is only appetising when it can be capitalised upon. Worth eating but never worth properly having.

When people talk about decolonising their palette or expanding the culinary worldview, their attempts—no matter how genuine—fall short as long as food, like the rest of our cultures, is only seen as valuable in its marketability rather than its inherent wonder. Even today, we cannot bring ourselves to try what the world offers without first forcing it to fit into Western conventions.

As important as the ingredients are in the process of preparing food, the people present in the kitchen, the dishes used, who you eat it with, and even when you eat, matters.

If you truly want to decolonise your palette, try a home cooked meal. Go over to a friend’s house and eat a cultural dish, the way their parents make it. Sit around a table and talk, get messy, have fun. Help someone cook a meal they haven’t had since childhood.

Try that dish that was tainted to look “too spicy,” or “too sour,” or “too sweet,” or simply, “too much.” Swap out your take out for the family-owned restaurants, and say hello to the owners, the chefs, and their staff. Ask them about their food, their history, their culture.

Let me be entirely clear, there is nothing wrong with altering a recipe, or swapping ingredients as needed. Protecting culture doesn’t mean isolating it from people who can’t experience it exactly as is.

But, there is a specific disrespect that comes with disregarding the way a meal must be experienced for the sake of conforming to the standards put in place by colonisers and their institutions.

Food is not just food. It is the love and the community we carry with us from our homelands, even as we leave the physical lands behind. It is our backward glances and daydreams come to life.

Our food isn’t meant to be capitalised on or treated as a trend, but meant to be shared with respect and regard to anyone wanting to experience it.

In many countries across the world—particularly in Asia and Af-

Do your due diligence, and take the experience, not just the fare.

Food is not just food. It is culture. It is tradition. Passed down from generation to generation, stories in the shape of fruit, meat, and vegetables. It is an interactive history, allowing you to mold it further.

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From Leisure to Labour Maryam Raheel Contributer In chasing perfectionism, the line between leisure and labour blurs.

Can you recall the last time you did something just for the fun of it—picked up a camera without worrying about capturing the perfect angle or painted a picture without wondering if it was ‘good enough’? Sharing our hobbies are then met with a family member nudging you to sell your art or a close friend encouraging you to post your progress online for all the likes and views it could accumulate. The pressure to perfect an activity that was never meant to be perfect infiltrates.

Before hobbies became burdened with expectation, they were activities we engaged in for pure relaxation and enjoyment outside of working hours.

In his book Hobbies: Leisure and the Culture of Work in America, Steven M. Gelber explains how the Industrial Revolution diverged the realms of work and leisure. The distinction between working and non-working hours led to the creation of activities that brought purpose to the abundant free time people suddenly had. Avoiding idleness became the main motivation to pursue hobbies. But this time could not just be for rest, it needed to involve a meaningful and productive pastime. Gelber describes hobbies as “productive leisure,” an oxymoron that embodies how hobbies can mimic the pressures of a job.

In today’s productivity-addicted world, Gelber’s term “productive leisure” resonates more than ever. No longer serving personal fulfillment, this type of productivity demands visible results.

A simple hobby has turned into something we track, improve upon, and share results–it has become a performance of a hobby. From this, the need to perfect our hobbies is born; a painting must be portfolio-worthy, a morning jog must be a test of endurance and speed, a crocheted sweater must be good enough to sell on Etsy.

In chasing perfectionism, the line between leisure and labour blurs.

Hobbies should provide us the freedom to experiment and play, yet perfectionism strives to strip us of that liberation. In a world motivated by external validation and reward, it’s easy to forget that hobbies are rooted in intrinsic value. We engage in them because they offer a sense of satisfac-

Photo by April Joy

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tion and enjoyment.

Studies show that moments of aimless creation and unstructured recreation are essential to our well-being. Immersing in activities for the sake of fun allows us to slow down and quell the noise of the world, where anxiety and self-judgement might dominate.

Perfectionism manifests a guilt of wasted time and expectations to produce something. Rest is reframed into laziness and our creative outlets are valued on the possibility of generating tangible results. While it might seem like an internal standard we’ve set for ourselves, it stems from a cultural system that forces us to optimize our every moment.

Rooted in capitalist ideas, the perfectionist mindset has caused us to view our hobbies as opportunities for profit over personal enrichment. Partaking in these activities is coupled with thoughts about turning it into a business or making it go viral. We are constantly wondering if it is worth our time if it doesn’t lead somewhere.

This pressure is heightened due to the myriad of financial pressures people face today. With the increased cost of living, many cannot rely on a single stream of income. People feel the need to maximize their time by turning an interest into a source of income. Coinciding with the rise of side hustles, monetizing a hobby is not just a trend but a strategy for survival to keep up with the economy.

Even for those that don’t rely on hobbies for money, the pressure to perfect and perform shifts to the world of social media. Influencers—gaining likes, followers, and a status from sharing their ‘picture-perfect’ lives— have turned personal pastimes into public performances. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram encourage this transformation, shifting the focus of our hobbies from private enjoyment to public posts that garner praise.

In a world that values productivity and profit, it’s easy to forget that hobbies exist simply for personal happiness. Beyond money, likes, and status, the greatest opportunity hobbies provide us is the space to be imperfect and have fun. Reclaiming our hobbies as methods of self-care and creativity allows us to indulge in true leisure.

Features

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Editor | Gisele Tang features@themedium.ca

Is reading really boring, or are we doing it wrong?

Unlike scrolling, reading activates long-term memory, improves emotional regulation and increases vocabulary. These improvements can come in handy, especially for students in tasks like writing essays, preparing presentations or doing in-class discussions.

Zainab Khalil, Contributer In a world addicted to short reels and doomscrolling, can we still rewire ourselves to enjoy reading as we once did?

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ry and recall a time when reading didn’t feel like a task. Was it a bedtime story from your childhood? A random novel from your teenage years? Either way, somewhere along the lines, the magic of reading has faded.

More often than not, being a university student means endless assigned readings. Instead of enjoying reading as a fun activity, this can easily make reading feel like another chore that we must cross off our academic to-do list.

The constant dopamine hits and non-stop stimulation from social media have shortened people’s attention spans. According to Exploding Topics, a trendspotting platform that analyzes upcoming trends, the average American spends around seven hours a day in front of a screen. And according to the University of Maine, the average time spent on social media is more than two hours.

In contrast with social media’s fast-paced dynamic, reading is slower in rhythm.

There is no change of content every thirty seconds. It requires something that we rarely activate nowadays—undivided attention. When our brains are used to constant stimulation, activities like reading can be mistaken for something boring, especially when you are expected to complete long readings for classes.

Illustrated by Fabiha Ruthmila

Illustrated by Menahil Warraich

What people might overlook is that reading isn’t just about understanding content— it is a workout for your brain. A study from PubMed, a platform provided by the US National Library of Medicine, found that reading regularly can improve a person’s social cognitive abilities.

Reading is how knowledge is built. For example, if you are reading for different subjects, it can help with your interpretation skills as well as your analytical ability. Reading strengthens these skills by helping you get better at concluding information, think more critically, and better connect ideas across disciplines.

According to an article from Concordia University, students who read academic texts for leisure tend to perform better in school. They are also more likely to be able to comprehend complex arguments in tests, writings, or research.

Reading does not have to be limited to mandatory texts (like your assigned textbooks). There is so much more to it as there are many genres, topics and styles, which will surely cater to something of your interest. One way to start experiencing the joy of reading is to use audiobooks. For example, you can listen to a novel while walking, commuting, or doing mindless tasks like housework.

And just like running, you don’t have to start with a marathon. You can slowly build up your stamina. By starting small, like reading five to ten pages, and gradually increasing your reading time each day, your reading ability will improve. And before you know it, you will start looking forward to this activity.

You might even notice your thoughts getting clearer and that you’re able to use your words more precisely.

What’s more, with the ever-growing field of research, reading is more important than ever. It supports the success of academia by laying the foundation for emerging research, reviews and creativity in various disciplines. Reading can strengthen people’s ability to interpret data, build arguments and think beyond existing information to analyze and draw conclusions.

And maybe next time, when approaching an assigned reading, I highly recommend shifting your perspective. Don’t just read for the sake of completing it for school or getting good grades—read with the intention to learn, explore and gain new perspectives. And who knows, you might just fall in love with academic readings!

Is Canada driving its talent away?

Eraj Zaidi Contributor

In 2025, the job market seems to be a gamble in North America. Are Canadians staying or moving with the rise in unemployment rates?

“

Go work for an American company,” said my friend, an international student. “Ideally, get a remote job and get your salary in USD. This way, you can still stay in Canada, or wherever else you want. Either way, you’ll get paid way more than you ever could in Canada.” This was their response to many University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) students’ least favourite question: “What are your plans after graduation?”

year, are you thinking of doing the same?

Bigger bills, smaller salaries “Canada may not be the best place for ambitious, goal-oriented go-getters,” said one UTM student, who is set to graduate this spring. She agrees that if she started her own company, instead of staying in Canada, she would move to a “tech hub” like San Francisco. “There must be a reason why they’re all

This conversation has stuck with me ever since, because I couldn’t argue against it. I couldn’t think of a better post-graduation plan than hers. The unemployment situation for fresh graduates in Canada seems to worsen each year. According to Statistics Canada, the employment rate dropped to 60.5 per cent in August 2025.

As someone in their final year at UTM, several high-achieving colleagues of mine have already moved or are planning to move abroad to build a business or realize more ambitious careers. Some go to Europe and some to the US, and they won’t spare a glance at Canada. If you’re approaching your final

Photo by Sameeha Fatima

08 [tech start-up CEOs] there.”

Many tech start-up CEOs trained in Canada’s top programs are now looking south of the border. For many, moving to the US feels like the natural next step, offering not only higher salaries but also access to investors who reward innovation rather than shy away from risk.

On LinkedIn, one user described the trend as a “talent drain” that threatens Canada’s once-promising start-up ecosystem. Others point to the country’s high cost of living and comparatively low wages as powerful push factors.

Lower tax rates in the US and abroad make the move even more attractive, especially for young Canadians eager to build their careers.

“People also don’t talk enough about healthcare,” argued the UTM student set to graduate this spring. “A big plus of Canada is the free healthcare services, which places like the US lack.”

Canada’s short salary ceiling is perhaps the price we pay for social security. In the U.S., people can make a lot more money, but the country has more problems. For example, the US has more poverty than Canada, as well as other nations. And since the government does not provide as much help, poverty in the US is more difficult.

Change the game, not the player

As of 2025, Canadians often face a higher tax burden than many US residents, especially for middle-to-higher income earners when federal and provincial or state taxes are combined. For example, in many Canadian provinces, including British Columbia, the combined marginal tax rate on certain incomes surpasses what someone in a no-state-income-tax US state like Texas would pay. Also, average and median salaries in countries like the US, England, Singapore, and Australia often exceed those in Canada after currency conversion.

Canadian graduates like Ethan Ng on LinkedIn have questioned, “Do I stay and play small, or leave and build big?”

Do you have an incentive to stay?

For graduates willing to take chances, many are leaving Canada in hopes of better opportunities. Some are calling on Mark Carney to take action, while some look forward to cultivating Canada’s entrepreneurial culture.

On the other hand, some graduates are choosing to stay. “It doesn’t seem like the job market is any better in the US,” said a recent UTM graduate, who is soon going to start an office job at Loblaw’s. “I’m also pretty risk-averse. And I’m going to stay where I can find stability. I see myself growing at the company [Loblaw’s] for years to come.”

Many graduates don’t think Canada lacks talent. Rather, the country lacks the belief in and infrastructure to properly support and develop its talent to its full potential. Graduates and entrepreneurs are ready to seize opportunities, but they feel they aren’t given the chance to do so.

For students, graduates, job-seekers and entrepreneurs, it’s clear that Canada’s job market needs a change.

Arts

Editor | Yusuf Larizza-Ali arts@themedium.ca

The Diverse Array of Arts Clubs at UTM assist those who are enrolled in any of UTM’s English and Drama programs, studying any of their courses or just have an interest in the field. As an academic forum, the goals of EDSS include creating chances for students to share any of their creative ideas in an inclusive and fostering environment.

Photo by Maria Alampay

Another fascinating area is the visual arts, with Studio X being a visual arts club. As a cooperative art club aiming to make installments to redecorate and adorn the areas around the campus, their works consist of painting and photography among others, with a secondary goal of informing general students of social issues.

Aqeel Shahid Ullah Contributer

Taking a deep dive into the different arts clubs on campus, from book clubs to live performances

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s the academic year begins, many events take place on campus to welcome both new and returning students. One of these events is the annual UTM Club fair, which showcases the variety of student societies and clubs that truly bring the campus to life. This year’s fair was no different, with numerous clubs coming together to share their goals and invite new members. Although each club offers something unique to entice students, it is typically the arts clubs that draw the most people, usually due

to the creativity and community they cultivate.

With how varied and diverse the arts are, it is no surprise that the clubs themselves are distinct, ranging from literature to performance arts. For those who love to read and find new genres to be invested in, the UTM Book Discovery Club (UTMBD) is there to help. They aim to motivate members to think critically about the world around them through the views of the authors whose works they experience.

UTMBD does this by holding monthly book club gatherings focusing on unique books by writers from different places around the world.

For those with an academic interest, the UTM English and Drama Student Society (EDSS) is there to

Alongside Studio X is The Design Hub, which is a more general club that is focused on uniting those with aspirations of being a designer or simply learning about designs. This club allows members to operate on projects and shape their portfolio and The Design Hub features a competition consisting of students presenting designs based on a designated theme, with the winner having their design shown off on the club’s social media pages as well as a prize.

For those with musical interests, UTM also has clubs to fill that desire as well, with one such club being the Harmonix Music Club (HMC), which offers a community for anyone who loves music. The club cultivates an environment where students can meet those with varying musical backgrounds and encourages the recognition of all genres of music.

HMC offers a casual breather for those with busy schedules through its casual jam sessions, as well as volunteer positions in logistics and lessons in music production for those with a little more free time and interest.

09 Alongside HMC is Circle of Fifths (COF), which is UTM’s performance focused music group. While HMC is more open to casual music lovers, COF is more structured, as it encourages the use of music in a more formal group setting. Members are expected to rehearse routinely to ensure they are ready for showcases and events that emphasize their skill and work. By focusing on training and improvement, COF creates a space for members to constantly challenge themselves and reach greater musical heights.

Lastly, for performance arts, there is Erindale Music Theatre Productions (EMTP), that provides a truly immersive experience for those interested in musical theatre, creating a safe space for members to

“share their passion and create and perform original and established works of music theatre.” EMTP organizes every part of theatrical production, ranging from auditions to the props used in their works. Additionally, EMTP extends beyond just UTM and has partnerships with other theatrical clubs at UTSC, UTSG and even those in Mississauga, allowing opportunities for members to participate with theatre in many different ways.

A somewhat different performance arts club consists of the UTM Dance Team, which emphasizes both building a community for dancers and a competitive spirit, giving members the possibility of furthering their dance skills while representing UTM.

Membership into the dance team is based on an audition that judges a students ability to dance and how available they are. If accepted, they become part of a close group that trains meticulously three to four days a week.

The Arts are a truly fascinating and diverse area that allows students to express their creativity in a variety of ways, as demonstrated by the numerous clubs that showcase their depth. Whether you are an avid reader, an aspiring designer, a budding musician or an ambitious performer, there is sure to be a club at UTM that shares your passions and offers a chance at displaying your talents.

Hold On Tight To Your Creativity Jia Bawa Podcast Manager

into it when I get time!” Wrong. We will never “get time.” In this rat race of a world, we are designed to be constantly running, prioritising high efficiency and speed. Rest, and creative hobbies that soothe and nourish the soul—that actually make life worth living— they tend to get buried six feet under, collecting dust and spiderwebs on their carcass.

Past experiences have led to me feeling burnt out and unable to write even one single email. These events have taught me how important it is to not suppress the flow of creativity in our life because they make life way more tolerable.

I have always been drawn to fictional worlds, making it my personal mission when I was little to read all the books in my school library (did I succeed?). So it’s not a surprise that one of the ways I find respite is through writing fictional stories. These are purely for enjoyment. Nothing polished, or publishing ready, just scraps of dialogue or ideas I jot down on my Notes App when inspiration strikes. Sometimes, I’ll be in class and an idea will pop in my head. Other times, I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and start typing in a frenzy. These stories will probably never see the light of day—and that is okay because that is what makes it fun; there’s no pressure to turn it into something other people will enjoy. Writing lets me create worlds of my own when the real one feels too overwhelming.

As the semester picks up, it becomes more of a task to make space for longer writing sessions, but even jotting down a stray idea on the napkins in Davis keeps my imagination alive. It is also a good reminder that not all of my writing needs to be graded. I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a small part of me that would love to see these ideas fully form into a novel available in every bookstore someday. But, for now, they give me small sparks of joy and break the monotony of my life.

Another one of my lifelines is music. It is one of the quickest ways for me to reset after a long day. Just grabbing my guitar and heading to the piano room in Roy, and spending an hour singing and strumming, invigorates me. It makes me feel like I’m on top of the world, and my heart whooshes with the rush of euphoria after a successful session, my cheeks red from exertion and adrenaline. Sometimes, when I am in need of comfort, I go back to the songs of my childhood. Other times, I play around with chord progressions and make something of my own. One thing I really love about music is how immediate it is. Once you know the basic chords, you don’t really need to think; you can just pick up the guitar and strum one string—that is music. When I feel suffocated and like I am ready to collapse under the weight of my responsibilities, music pulls me back into the present.

Photo by April Joy

In those times, perfection isn’t what I strive for, it is existing.

I know, for a lot of us, hobbies may seem like they are diverting us from what really mat-

One must not underestimate the power and importance of creative hobbies to carry

ters: our studies, and our plans for the future. But these are the things that fuel us to keep

you through your studies and daily life.

going. Writing and music give me ways to process my stress, carve out joy, and keep my

A

s I enter my fourth and final year, I’m hit with the realisation that September only

imagination afloat. When I take a break and immerse myself in my hobbies, I come back with a clearer head, ready to face my coursework head-on.

gets busier as the years go by. Traditionally, the first week of uni is low-stress, as

professors tend to focus on course expectations and the syllabus instead of getting into

More than that, the act of engaging in creative hobbies reminds me of who I am beyond

the meat of their subject (if you’re lucky enough). This year, however, other commit-

deadlines and GPA. University life has a nasty habit of reducing us to a measure of our

ments like work and graduate school seem to be taking a front seat, and I have found

productivity, our value directly proportional to the readings we completed and the grades

myself slogging away from 9 AM to 9 PM. I barely visit my room for anything other than

on our transcripts. Creativity has a measure of its own: one based on joy, freedom of ex-

sleeping. It feels like I am slowly caving in, and we have only just begun.

pression, and the courage to try. We must make time for it, make it a part of our routine, shove it in anywhere we can. Because, without it, ruin is upon us.

In this case, it is terribly easy to let creativity take a backseat, telling myself, “I’ll get back

10 Sports & Health

Editor | Joseph Falzata sports@themedium.ca

The “How-To” guide for becoming the most fashionable girl in the gym Sarah Stajduhar Contributor

Channel your inner pilates-princess through this season’s best styles.

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ongratulations! You’ve made the team, signed up for a class at the RAWC, or committed to the weights. You’re almost ready to start training, but now comes the hardest step: picking the perfect outfit.

You could spend your entire semester (and paycheck) curating the perfect gym wardrobe. Sometimes a plain workout set just doesn’t scratch the itch of being the most stylish person in the room.

Luckily for you, it’s easy enough to incorporate the biggest predicted trends of this autumn/winter season into your athleticwear.

Bold Colour Combinations Pantone, the printing company that has revolutionized a universal language of colour-matching, has published its seasonal Fashion Colour Trend Report for more than a decade. Major fashion weeks, namely Paris, Milan, and New York, get a preemptive Pantone colour palette prediction for the biannual fashion seasons: spring/summer (SS) and autumn/winter (AW).

Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, describes the upcoming 2025/2026 season as “imbued with a feeling of effortless glamour…[yet] approachable and accessible.” Merging this carefully curated palette with the bold looks we have already seen from major runways, here are the combinations you should try for your next workout: Lemon Grass & Mauve Wine Green and purple is surely an unorthodox union, but one that works when executed with the perfect shades. Lemon Grass, a citrusy yellow-green, pairs well with the “sophisticated” vintage purple, Mauve Wine. The vibrance of such a green contrasts and complements the softness of the maroon-purple.

Nina Ricci successfully delivered this look in luxury at Paris Fashion Week, where a faux-fur citrus shawl was styled over a lace-lined velvet mini dress in deep purple. While Gucci also played with the purple-lime scheme in Parisian formalwear, they took things a step further. Neutral outfits were accompanied by rich purple stockings and lime handbags or neck scarves. It serves as a good reminder that you can work with small accents and still achieve a striking look.

Illustrated by Fabiha Ruthmila Primrose Pink & Bronze Brown On the runway, Primrose Pink, a “delicate and illuminating” lilac-like pink, has been specifically spotted with Bronze Brown, which as its name implies, is a soft brown tinged with gold hues. The stark yet subtle contrast between cool and warm tones makes for an eye-catching combination.

Just like green and purple, pink and brown is an unconventional colour fusion. However, the difference between this and the latter is that the right shade of baby pink will suit almost any shade of brown.

At Paris Fashion Week, Miu Miu effortlessly paired a baby pink lacquer jacket with a simple suede skirt. The look was completed using bugeyed sunglasses with dark brown-tinted lenses and an excess of belts. For practicality sake, you can swap the heavy accessories for a matching headband or socks.

Layering The easiest way to style multiple colours at once is through layering, another trend we’re seeing more of this season. Street style at Copenhagen fashion week took this to the extreme, where attendees opted for midi dresses over full-length jeans, neutral tank tops over patterned long sleeves, and sheer maxi skirts over mini skirts, often topped off with a trench coat. Of course, it is much easier to layer knitwear and jackets for colder weather than thin fabrics for the gym, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Try a strappy sports bra under a simple spandex tank, and add dimension by choosing a different colour for each clothing item. If you have a favourite tank top and own multiple of them, you can also layer two at once, allowing the tank underneath to pop out from the top and bottom. The

same can be done with a tank under a short or long sleeve athletic top. For bottoms, try wearing your sweatpants low-rise over spandex shorts, allowing them to peek out from the top of your sweatpant band. Bonus points are awarded for layering two colours from the Pantone colour palette!

Pilates Princess Anyone that took an early-2000s ballet class knows that the “pilates princess” look isn’t new, but it has definitely been refreshed and revived this year. Ferragamo’s SS 2025 collection emphasized dance tradition, showcasing typical practicewear looks with leggings, leotards, wrap tops, and pointe-esque lace up shoes. This archetypal “ballet” look was adopted and adapted into the pilates looks we now see online due to its functionality. The cuts and materials allow for unrestricted movement, while light layers keep muscles warm and dancers cool.

As we transition into the next season, such stereotypical pilates looks have not made it back onto the runway; however, Valentino has redefined some of these staple pieces in a high-fashion way for AW in Paris. Sheer lace leotards are the focus of the look, worn unbuttoned over nude slip-like capris. Femme touches like satin bralettes and shoes with large silk bows add to the balletcore illusion.

For your next group fitness class, channel your inner pilates princess with a spandex base—whether leotard, shorts, capris, or leggings—and a wrap top. For getting to-and-from the building, reach for a pair of flats or ballet sneakers, both of which have been gaining popularity over the last year.

This semester, gym fashion is all about practicality with undertones of trendy colour combos, purposeful layers, and nostalgic femininity. Style doesn’t have to be sacrificed for comfort. With a bit of creative thinking, runway fashion can be rei-

11

Laughter, Tears, and T-Shirts: The rollercoaster of UTM intramurals ( Contd. from Page 01)

Joseph Falzata Sports & Health Editor

My sister’s volleyball intramural championship t-shirt.

Endless Options In four years of UTM studies, I never once won any of the intramural leagues I played in. Soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton—you name it, I’ve lost it.

While soccer, volleyball, and basketball are the most popular intramural pro-

But despite the years of immense pain and keep-you-up-at-night flashbacks, I

grams, UTM offers a plethora of opportunities to get students involved. Cricket,

wouldn’t change a thing.

table tennis, regular tennis, badminton, and flag football are some of the other weekly team sports offered this fall. Female students also have the opportunity

UTM intramurals are THE best way to add some excitement into your life on

to register for the “Women in Sport” League, which focuses on a different sport

campus. There’s nothing like rushing out of class to catch a game, then rushing

each week.

to your next one as soon as it’s done. Intramurals break up the monotony of lectures and papers, and, as I always say when I’m trying to convince a friend to hit

If you can’t commit to a full season of weekly sports, UTM also offers a number

the gym between classes, a quick exercise can boost your memory and thinking

of special one-day events and tournaments. This year, UTM will host a 5v5 Fut-

skills (even if it means you’ll be a bit sweaty in class).

sal tournament, Swim Meets, Dodgeball, Spikeball, and even Beach Volleyball tournaments (and many more), all here on our campus.

Intramurals aren’t only for seasoned athletes looking for intense competition, but are also designed to offer students a place to casually try new sports and

The deadlines to sign-up for most of the fall intramural programs are between

meet new people. With tiered divisions, you never have to worry about battling

September 17-24. Head over to the UTM Intramurals on IMLeagues to register

it out with someone far above your skill level. Instead, you can choose to play in

and see the full list of programs offered this season, and check out the RAWC’s

a league that best suits your experience.

intramural page on UTM’s website for more information.

Collage by Melody Zhou

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