Memoir that dives into a complicate d mother daughter relationship while the mother g o es through cancer treatment
O n e D a y -
D a v i d N i c h o l l s
Gut wrenching romance that will have you b awling for days but also understanding that time is fle eting and you ne e d to seize opp ortunities in love and in life
T h e I d i o t -
E l i f B a u t u m a n
An interestingly written novel that lets you into someone else's internal monolo gue
N o r m a l P e o p l e -
S a l l y R o o n e y
A story ab out growing up and the relationships that stretch over different p erio ds of life
To m o r row a n d To m o r row a n d To m o r row -
G a b r i e l l e Z e v i n
B eautiful story ab out g oing through life and accepting what each stag e offers you and how you learn from those exp eriences
My ye a r o f Re s t a n d Re l a x a t i o n -
O t t e s s a Mo s h fe g h
S omewhat depressing read, but shows that a moment in time can b e as long as ne cess ary
M e a n d E a r l a n d t h e D y i n g G i r l -
J e s s e A n d r ews
A complicate d friendship that didn't last as long as it should have
T h ey B o t h D i e a t t h e E n d -
Ad a m S i l ve ra
Finding out the morning of the day they will die, unexp e cte d emotions arise with time running out
T h e M i d n i g h t L i b ra r y -
M a t t H a i g
A b eautiful story ab out how the little things make the big g est imp acts on our lives
The Vortex of Trends:
How the Fast Fashion Industry & TikTok Create a Lethal Combination
Written by Vanessa McLeod
Graphic by Nicole Fialkiewicz
Have you ever found yourself adding something to your cart that you ’ ve heard of only twenty seconds ago, just to put in your credit card info, wait several days for shipping, receive the package and…the magic of having something new has worn off? Well, the micro-trend era we ’ re in has only seemed to foster this epidemic. People are constantly buy fundamentally l bring them a influencers they th t tl
The inspiration for this debate comes from a TikTok made by @eve.laurenn, which has since amassed 172k likes and over 3 million views. The comments seem to be quite split. A few voices of reason arise, asking the creator why she wouldn’t just choose to wear what she likes or what she already owns, but there are an equal number of people providing opinions on what they believe is “in” for spring 2025. Videos like this create the to
The psychology of belonging when it comes to fashion
Fashion is also one of the biggest factors in how we are perceived by the people around us. In an age where we are constantly being perceived, whether that is through social media or publicly by those who surround us, it's easy to get caught up in the narrative of dressing how we are expected to versus dressing how we fundamentally desire to.
The image above tells us how we are perceived by the human lens and showcases the importance of identity markers. Being perceived can be terrifying and conformity can provide comfort, but without variance in how we dress, the concept of individuality can easily be swept away if we begin to conform. This isn't unlike a school uniform situation; although, in my experience, uniforms were a way to keep everyone equal outwardly despite their wealth or status. However, there was often pushback due to the lack of self-expression that they encouraged in young people.
It makes perfect sense that we’d want to be outwardly similar, as it creates a quiet acceptance from those around us, as if this ‘uniform’ instantly makes us all socially the same. This comfortability creates something that we can
control in an environment where everything in constantly changing. It's easy to attribute this ‘want’ for new things to simply finding a new wardrobe staple or buying a dress for an event, but when it turns into a habit, it becomes an unhealthy display of constant consumption.
So, how can we fix this? Well, we can simply start evaluating purchases before we even make them. Asking ourselves questions like, “what is the intention behind this decision?” or, “ am I making this purchase just to feel included?’ Simple actions like these help to minimize the potential for the post-consumer guilt that can arise when purchases are made purely for the sake of consumption.
Buy, Wea r, Dis ca rd:
How Fa st Fa shion F uels a Cul ture of Ephemerality
Written by Kyra Macri
Fast fashion is made to fit current trends. With the rise of digital media, these microtrends have become more popular and fleeting. On social media, something is hot for one minute until it moves on to the next thing.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, yes, you do; you just don't know it Remember fluffy jackets? Patchwork jeans? Galaxy print? Sweater vest crop tops? Brasil shirts? Shrugs? Over-layering? Shoelace belts? Scrunchies? Marble print? Butterfly tops? Unfortunately, I fell victim to some of these micro-trends, and I'm sure you did, too.
And if you think, "Well, I can't think of any current ones," trust me, there's a lot. Little bows, bubble skirts, Skims dupes, asymmetrical shirts and dresses, camouflage, cheetah print, low-rise bottoms… and those are only a few. Social media perpetuate these mini moments in culture. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are driving forces for fast fashion trends After the pandemic, this relationship between the fashion world and social media has become more prominent.
for these fleeting trends. Users must get to these trends before their For You Page is filled with the next big thing. This is when fast fashion companies like Shein recreate the item and sell it for cheap. I have fallen victim to fashion FOMO on TikTok, and the first place I always turned to was Shein. These items are always low quality and poorly made, typically ending up in the garbage or on a thrift rack. Every time I go thrifting now, I always see a micro-trend and when I check where it's from, 95% of the time, it's from Shein. This influx of purchasing poor-quality clothing made in terrible conditions adds to the never-ending cycle of overconsumption.
We need to recognize these micro-trends and opt out of buying them. Just because you see it on your favourite TikTok influencer does not mean you need to purchase it. Stick to your own fashion identity to put an end to this culture of ephemerality. Stop buying things you'll wear once and throw out or donate. So next time you see the coquette aesthetic or the baby tee with an 8-ball, maybe sit that one out.
Thanks to digital media, the life cycle of fashion trends is becoming shorter and shorter. You walk into thrift stores, and micro-trend clothing that was popular a few months ago is now hanging on the racks. TikTok is the worst
Photo credits to Michal Zahornacky
Graphic by Nicole Fialkiewicz
EPHEMERALITY IN SOCIAL MEDIA
Does it even exist?
S o c i a l m e d i a i s o f te n d e s c r i b e d a s e p h e m e ra l a p l a c e w h e re c o nt rove r s i e s a n d
t re n d s va n i s h a s q u i c k l y a s t h e y a p p e a r. B u t i s t h i s f l e e t i n g n at u re t r u l y re a l? D o
t h i n g s d i s a p p e a r f ro m t h e i nte r n e t ’s m e m o r y a s q u i c k l y a s we a s s u m e? W h i l e s o m e i nf l u e n c e r s, m e m e s, a n d t re n d s m ay fa d e f ro m t h e s p o t l i g ht , t h e i r d i g i t a l fo o t p r i nt re m a i n s p e r m a n e nt l y e m b e d d e d i n t h e o n l i n e wo r l d .
P l at fo r m s l i ke S n a p c h at , Ti k Tok , a n d Tw i t te r o f fe r fe at u re s t h at a l l ow u s e r s to d e l e te o r a rc h i ve p o s t s, c re at i n g t h e i l l u s i o n o f c o nt ro l ove r o n e ’s d i g i t a l p re s e n c e. H owe ve r, s c re e n s h o t s, s c re e n re c o rd i n g s, a n d re p o s t s e n s u re t h at n o t h i n g i s e ve r
t r u l y e ra s e d . Eve n d e l e te d t we e t s a n d p o s t s c a n re s u r fa c e u n ex p e c te d l y, p rov i n g t h at t h e e p h e m e ra l i t y s o c i a l m e d i a p ro m i s e s i s l a rge l y a n i l l u s i o n .
A d d i t i o n a l l y, w h i l e v i ra l m o m e nt s m ay fa d e f ro m p u b l i c d i s c o u r s e, t h e y re m a i n
a c c e s s i b l e t h ro u g h i nte r n e t a rc h i ve s a n d s e a rc h e n g i n e s. W h at s e e m s fo rgo t te n c a n re s u r fa c e i n a n i n s t a nt , re i nfo rc i n g t h e i d e a t h at t h e i nte r n e t ’s m e m o r y n e ve r t r u l y fa d e s.
O n e o f t h e c l e a re s t exa m p l e s o f t h i s i s c a n c e l c u l t u re. W h e n a n e w i nf l u e n c e r o r p u b l i c f i g u re ga i n s at te nt i o n , p e o p l e o f te n d i g t h ro u g h t h e i r p a s t p o s t s, u n c ove r i n g c o nte nt t h at c o u l d l e a d to i nte n s e b a c k l a s h a n d , i n s o m e c a s e s, c a re e r- d a m a g i n g c o n s e q u e n c e s. T h i s h i g h l i g ht s t h e c o nt ra d i c t i o n o f e p h e m e ra l i t y : w h i l e t re n d s a n d e n ga ge m e nt m ay b e f l e e t i n g , d i g i t a l re c o rd s re m a i n p e r m a n e nt .
S o c i a l m e d i a c re ate s t h e i l l u s i o n o f s h o r t- l i ve d c o nte nt , b u t i n re a l i t y, i t o p e rate s a s a n ex p a n s i ve d i g i t a l a rc h i ve. Eve r y a c t i o n i s s to re d , m a k i n g t r u e e p h e m e ra l i t y i n c re d i b l y ra re i n a n e ra w h e re e ve r y t h i n g c a n b e s ave d , s h a re d , a n d re v i s i te d i n d e f i n i te l y.
DESIGNED AND WRITTEN BY
The Case of Senioritis: A Fleeting Moment & the Passing of Time
Four years ago,
I stepped onto campus with a mix of excitement, nerves, and absolutely no idea just how much this place would mean to me. Fast forward to today, and I f ind myself at the f inish line, wondering how time moved so fast, yet feeling like I lived a lifetime within these years.
To say that Western, and more specif ically, the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), became my second home would be an understatement. It wasn’t just a faculty; it was my community, my passion, and let’s be honest my entire personality. Holding the role of FIMSSC President over the past two years has been one of the most fulf illing, challenging, and rewarding experiences of my life. It has shaped me, tested me, and thankfully didn’t break me (though it came close during exam season)
There’s something indescribable about watching something grow and knowing you played a part in it. Seeing our community f lourish, creating spaces for students to feel heard, included, and empowered those were the moments that made every long night, every meeting, and every email worth it Whether it was organizing networking events, advocating for student needs at University Student Council (USC) meetings, being a member of various University committees, or just sharing a laugh in the FIMS Creative Commons, each experience became a thread in the fabric of my university story.
Graduation is a strange thing As students, we spend years dreaming about the moment we f inally walk across the stage, picturing the relief of being “done.” Yet, now that it’s here, it feels like leaving behind a
piece of myself. Western has been more than just an institution; it’s been a home f illed with lifelong friendships, memories, and lessons b
F y Eight semesters. An amazing council I’m leaving behind.
To my incredible FIMSSC family thank you. Thank you for the laughter, the shared stress, and the unwavering support Thank you for being my team, my friends, my people The work we ’ ve done together, the change we ’ ve fostered, and the legacy we leave behind is something I will always carry with me.
So, fellow graduates and my friends from FIMSSC who are graduating too, the next chapter awaits, but we can take pride in the journey that brought us here.
