Openwide v.17.1

OPENWIDE THE FIMS’ A LTERNATIVE ST UDE NT PUBLICATI ON

OPENWIDEZINE.com

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 1

Contents Table of 4-5 SIDE EFFECTS, or Why Kim Kardashian Can’t Ever Be Alone Deep breaths, deep breaths

Internet theory 6-7 8-9 Elephant in the room

Everything is not what it seems

He’s not my president!

First Year Expectations 10-11 You are not alone.

12-13 homcoming: threat level midnight @admin, you have bigger things to worry about

letter to YOU 14

Learn from my mistakes and Frances Ha’s

15-16 hotspots in london

Contrary to popular opinion, there is life outside of campus.

Soundtrack to your first year 17-18 Turn up on your way to Weldon

19 horace and pete: The Show No One’s Ever HeardNot Ofavailable on netflix

zine canada 20-21 22 frosh madlibs o week warning 23

They’re jokes, guys.

Need some help writing your parents? This is how you do it.

It will be okay we promise.

Editor’s Note Most people come into their first year of FIMS hoping to pursue a career in journalism. Maybe television broadcasting. Perhaps graphic design. What you will actually be learning in first year is basically none of that. In later years, yes. But first year is weird.

FIMS material can often fall anywhere on the scale from blunt to upsetting to downright disturbing. In a given lecture, you might discuss the metaphorical resonance of the roots of a tree, or you might read a science fiction novel about alien warfare. Beyond anything else, the point of FIMS is to deconstruct the world you live in. This means that everything from your favourite television show to the way we construct families is about to be entirely disseminated. And by the end of the year, you will not be the same person.

When I watch the chaotic news these days I feel lost and hopeless and scared. There is so much anger in the world, but I know that in the people I’ve met at Western, there is still a lot of good happening too. In the face of anger and fear, we need critical, vibrant students like you are about to become. Don’t let adults fool you; hope is not lost. Use your newfound perspective to be accepting of others instead of shutting them out. Instead of only criticising pre-existing content, be excited to create something entirely new that is diverse, unique and incredible. Use your smartphone and blog for good and piss some cranky old person off. This #millennial generation has some good to do in the world yet. And you are a part of that.

Stay kind. Stay hopeful. Stay sharp -Erica

Erica Wallis Editor in Chief

Jenna Murphy Managing editor

Aidan warlow World Editor

Bianca Huang

Arts & Entertainment editor

Ksenia Kolodka western life editor

Rachel Kelly Creative editor

Veronica Cheung Graphics editor

Sarah Lovering Asst Graphics

jhana ellard web editor sara murphy asst graphics + Web

Tracy xie Head of promotions graphics

Ariana Magliocco Head of promotions marketing

Hannah Alberga Promotions

Elizabeth Ellis Promotions

Jocelyn Bick Photography

Marie Kamukuny Photography

openWIDE// GUEST FEATURE

SIDE EFFECTS or Why Kim Kardashian Can’t Ever Be Alone // TIM BLACKMORE

I bet you’ve been given a drug for something and you’ve heard the phrase “there may be some unwanted side effects.” Actually, there are side effects for everything that happens in life. What drug companies mean is that there are effects they want (you’ll be cured or at least feel better), and then there’s the unwanted crud—you feel like human phlegm.

When you come to university and work toward a degree like MIT, there are going to be effects, and also side effects. The effects are great. Your ability to analyze, write and speak about media will shoot through the roof.

But what about the side effects? In MIT classes we talk about upsetting things like how information and technology can be controlled, who controls them, what happens when they get out of control. What if the issues make you depressed or anxious? Well here’s a story about that.

I teach, research and write about war. I’ve been doing that for the last 30 years. I started reading about war not because I loved stories of combat or believe that war makes people the “best they can be” (to paraphrase an old war ad).

I started reading veterans’ stories because I wanted to understand how people could survive horrible anxiety. I was trying to solve the same problem in my own life. For years I’d suffered from agoraphobia, which is fear of pretty much everything.

I’ve learned that everyone is anxious, some of us much more than others. Everyone is afraid of something. But culturally we don’t want to face our fears. We’d rather be distracted, entertained, diverted. We’d rather hide, just the way I did.

Look how consumed we are by (and how much we consume) other peoples’ lives.

According to media scholar Ethan Zuckerman, Kim Kardashian is pretty much the most important person in the world right now. Here’s a citation to prove me right.[1] Also here’s a picture of Kim K. in case you’ve never seen one before.

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Zuckerman’s numbers show that a famine or terrible disaster is something we can’t stand to look at. Even Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army was only worth 7.7 Kardashians (check out Zuckerman for more). What did you do first? Look at the picture of KK or read Zuckerman’s article?

We love to be obsessed with the Kardashians (and other rich, unimportant human beings) because we’re afraid. We’re so scared of being alone, having fear, feeling anxious, dying, that we do pretty much anything to distract ourselves.

Our celebrities are famous because they’re celebrities. They got famous from being rich and sex-tape famous. They’re entertaining, they appall us, and maybe we sort of envy them. Also, they help us blow more time Tweeting, Snapchatting, Instagramming each other about them instead of having to deal with being afraid (or read about a famine).

So: What to Do? • •

Realize everyone is afraid. It isn’t just you. Fear is wired to protect us from the world. But it also makes us feel lousy, and who likes that?

Practice relaxation. Get an app that guides you through meditation or what is called progressive relaxation. Don’t wait. It’s easy if you practice

•

•

just a few minutes every day.

Talk to people. I don’t mean text, Skype, or other digistuff. I mean sit down with actual human beings and talk about the heavy stuff you’re thinking about. You’ll find out they’re burdened, too, and that you’re in good company.

Collaborate, don’t compete. Forget competition. It’s a waste of everyone’s energy.

Listen to people who also listen to you. Offer help, even for the smallest things. It’s amazing how much you can feel stronger when you help (I know it sounds contradictory). Work with people on the hard things.

Most of all remember that side effects are actually part of the main event. There is no side effect.

Anxiety is as much a part of life as is going to class.

Dealing with difficult material is our major focus.

As you start handling the tough material, you’ll figure out how you want to approach problems, what fascinates you. At that point the fear will ease off.

Then our real work together begins.

[1] http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/ blog/2012/05/02/an-idea-worth-at-least-40nanokardashians-of-your-attention/ v.17.1// 5

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INTERNET THEORY The Internet is comprised of a vast assemblage of networks combining physical objects and cyberspace; hardware and software. Try to visualize the Internet – where is the beginning? Where is the end? Who (or what) actually receives all of our constant Google searches? Is the Internet just an infinite abundance of memory and data droplets, resistant to evaporation?

The romanticization of the Internet and its capabilities have been developed through different “Any commodity is media sources over comprised of various time, including films like The connections between Social Network, physical and nonphysical; You’ve Got Mail, and even human and nonhuman; and the recent horror film everything in between.”

Unfriended.

This has facilitated Western society’s continued ignorance of the effects of Internet usage.

Humans often experience the sensation of “natural sublime” when confronting something so enormous that its vastness is unimaginable. This can be experienced while standing on the edge of Niagara Falls as torrents of water rush by every second, thinking about the scale of the universe, observing the visual connections between terrestrial river systems and the human circulatory system – these are only a few examples and they can all make us feel extraordinarily insignificant.

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//KSENIA KOLODA

Digital sublime is when you get that same feeling trying to imagine the complexity of technology but are unable to fully grasp it, thus making it difficult to truly understand its scope.

Digital sublime also presents distraction through the mirage of sleek design and glittery updates.

This overwhelming infatuation one gets when viewing Apple’s latest keynote, for example, can only begin to be eradicated through a demystification of the technological intricacy involved in the formation of the commodity. This includes knowledge of mining for electronic parts, division of labour, physical products for seemingly intangible services, environmental impacts…the list goes on to include every minute yet necessary detail.

Assemblage – a theory by French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari – explains how any commodity is comprised of various connections between physical and nonphysical; human and nonhuman; and everything in between. The Internet is so much more than just signals travelling between devices. Rather, it is an assemblage of many components working together.

This is a paradigm shift. It is more common to hear about new technological developments in media than the disasters associated with creating those developments. Of course the manufacturers of personal digital devices make this easy with constant operating system updates, app updates, physical design updates, and by proclaiming fresh experiences with

each of these improvements through advertising.

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However, these data centres are only a single component of the Internet despite continually drawing labour from other In most cases, it is difficult to appreciate the assemblage sectors. Computer engineers are undoubtedly important in until something that usually works is suddenly broken. For keeping things running smoothly, but maintenance workers example, there was an incident where JK Communications and Construction – a cable TV company in the United States are also needed to ensure the performance of the cooling systems – without which the computing devices would – was excavating land and placing their own cables when malfunction. Child labour is also frequently used in the they happened to dig up foreign cables – those belonging technology industry – both for resource gathering, factory to Internet providers Sprint and Nextel. A few days earlier, assembling, and electronic waste disposal. These workers are there was an environmental disturbance that ruined all part of the assemblage of the Internet. another part of Internet cable. The way nodes work is that if one node goes offline, the information can be rerouted Microsoft gives another example of a data centre built to another node to ensure service at all times. However, if to accommodate growing demands for faster and larger strategically (or accidentally, in this case) damaged, there Internet service, but they chose to build their facility could be simultaneous outages. Customers of Sprint and underwater. This further abstracts the role of human labour Nextel living on the west coast experienced isolation from within the Internet’s mechanical assemblage. To solve this, the online world until the cables could be fixed. Accidents Microsoft has robots happen, but it is not to do the work; a until they do that maintenance crew people may realize is only needed for something bigger is robotic control. in charge of providing Although the centre them with the services is close to shore in they know and love. case of emergencies, it still poses an Google is notorious inconvenience for for its immense and human inquiries. extravagant networked structures. The design The environmental of their corporate impacts of these offices look more data centres are still like kindergarten largely unknown, but playgrounds than some predictions are traditional Bay that the warmer water released by the centres may impact Street high rises. The bleaker side of Google lies in its data delicate marine life in the surrounding area.

Even if the centres. Data centres are highly protected buildings that temperature change is subtle, it can create a chain reaction contain massive and powerful servers, cables for constant of corruption. This is something that needs to be surveilled connection, cooling equipment, power generators, and backup mechanisms in case of emergencies. These are made for several decades in order to realize the full impact. If these practices continue, marine life will not be the only thing to deliver lightning speed search services to clients around at risk. Human employment may also suffer from gradual the world. It takes a colossal amount of energy for Google’s replacement by machines, although new jobs may open for algorithm to go through millions of websites and pick out marine biologists and environmental restoration. This cycle the most relevant ones for the particular user. These data continues endlessly. centres are essential for reliability and predictability. They are capable of working in the heat with the aid of cooling Apple, Microsoft, Google, and other technology devices, notably water. Google is currently re-purposing a corporations do not blatantly express remorse for their coal power plant in Alabama into a new data centre; this practices. It is only when a harsh truth is unearthed that location was chosen particularly for its already available they go out to bury it with cloudy reassurances, then closely resources, including a generous electrical supply and follow up with an avalanche of distractions. It is up to us proximity to a water source. Data centres are constantly running and must stay cool in order to prevent overheating. to monitor the assemblage of digital networks; we must be aware of the storms brewing in the liquid cooling devices Inside, the centres may become too hot for humans to work in comfortably (around 95˚F), but the machines continue to of data centres, the exploitative labour practices, and the other numerous components of digital functionality. Break function properly. Human labour is becoming less critical the motherboard open and discover what lies beneath the in the actual computing job of the Internet because the spectacle. complexity of tasks are exceeding human capabilities.

“Human labour is becoming less critical in the actual computing job of the Internet because the complexity of tasks are exceeding human capabilities.”

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Attempting to write an article about one Donald J. Trump is an incredibly exhaustive experience; I would never claim to be a seasoned political analyst, nor could I argue that the coverage this store-brand cheese puff receives from the media is in any way fair or encouraging.

Inflammatory remarks such as that last one are perhaps the only place I can find solace when confronted with such mesmerizing, nigh inexplicable, absurdity. Donald Trump’s rhetorical approach denies the possibility of meaningful contemplation; it is at the same time enraging and captivating both in spite of and specifically because of its amorphous quality.

However, some things don’t change. History does not change.

The only way I could ever really hope to explain what Donald Trump means to me is by examining him through the historical contexts and movements that have allowed 8 //v.17.1

him a podium of such profound pomposity, and by interrogating the media’s complicity in his rise to the top of the American political landscape. Before I begin, an obvious disclaimer is needed, I’m drafting this in July and I am one hundred percent sure that by the time you’re reading this, things will be irrevocably different… such is life.

Perhaps the most common rhetorical attacks launched against Trump are the continual comparisons to Adolf Hitler. I would immediately resist the urge to accept this comparison for a number of reasons. People always argue that Hitler was democratically elected and therefore Donald Trump represents the same level of danger. This is false. Hitler was never elected to the chancellorship of Germany, he was appointed by the aging President – Germany has both a President and Chancellor— Paul von Hindenburg on the suggestion of a very small group of far-right autocrats.

Similarly, although a popular party, the Nazis were never elected to a

//Aidan Warlow

majority government, and gained the brunt of their power through violence and intimidation.

We have obviously seen similar attempts made by Trump and his constituents, in threatening Republican primary voters or just by the general air of violence and hatred that cling like a miasma to his rallies, but to consider Donald Trump a true fascist he must express a desire to violently overthrow the current mode of government in the United States in favour of some form of ultra-nationalist autocracy.

I am in no way trying to suggest that his message is not dangerous but I will always argue that fearing his ludicrous policy ignores the real issue. He has skyrocketed the significance of apolitical issues and myths to the front of everyone’s mind.

In 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted JKF’s “Civil Rights Act” he permanently changed the political landscape of the United States, particularly in the South. Previously, the poor southern

voters had sided with the Democrats because they understood that a Republican candidate heralding the rule of elites would do little if anything to help elevate them from poverty. However, white southern voters soon realised that the fear of minorities overshadowed the fear of poverty, and the Republicans promised to assert the dominance of white Americans, and thus began the era of personalized politics we still inhabit today.

The Republican party has utilized what is essentially the same “White Southern Voter” strategy for over fifty years, but now that Donald Trump holds the reins, he has thrown pretence to the wind.

Trump has exposed the lie of American right-wing politics to the world, by demonstrating that an intensely racist, xenophobic message is all it takes to rally the good ole’ boys to your banner, and it hasn’t changed a thing. Essentially he has convinced millions that economic prosperity for all “real Americans” will be wrought from the suffering and condemnation of immigrants and minorities. His rhetoric, similar to the rhetoric of most previous Neoliberal Republican candidates doesn’t make a lick of sense and is riddled with contradiction and error.

A wall will not protect American jobs, and to a degree I believe that Trump understands this. He has expressed a desire to renegotiate NAFTA to prevent American companies from outsourcing labour to Mexico and Canada, and yet he himself employs sweatshop labour in Asia to produce his Trump branded suits and ties.

His campaign baseball caps were made in China, a country he has lambasted countless times for devaluing currency and selling out labour from under the feet of good,

hardworking Americans. Then stop buying their labour, Trump.

In reaction to the horribly tragic Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting of June 12, 2016 he tweeted out the most buffoonish “I told you so” in the Internet’s history and he praises Scotland for “taking their country back” even though Scots voted to remain in the European Union during the Brexit referendum. How could we all be so unendingly aware of his immense stupidity and yet powerless to stop him? Its simple.

From day one, Trump told his supporters that the “liberal” media would do everything in its power to prevent him from becoming president.

Therefore, every lie or hateful comment he makes, for which he receives widespread criticism only strengthens his case; it’s Donnie against the world. The American people obviously love underdog tales, they started as one. Therefore, when we are all hyper aware of his mistakes he wins. The only reason we are even able to be so painfully aware is because of the hyper speed of hyper-text, the ceaseless CNN,

openWIDE// WORLD

MSNBC, and FOX coverage, and the belief that all of us reserve the right to hate Trump more than anyone else does. Of course keep doing it, keep complaining, keep sharing, do it all—but don’t expect it to change anything. You’ll always be an annoying liberal to those who have eaten up his rhetoric like -insert unflattering livestock simile here-; that’s ok.

What then is the true danger of a man like Trump? Is it really in his ludicrous policy, or his “whites first’ agenda? Can we even accept any of these things at face value given his propensity towards inconsistency? I think the biggest danger here is that we all cannot stop talking about him, myself included; however, this does not mean he can be ignored. As I stated earlier, by the time any of you are reading this, we might be dealing with an entirely new beast. If the events of this summer’s Republican National Convention have taught us anything, it’s that there is no shortage of uncritical, deeply personalized voters out there who will accept Trump’s lies all the way to the polls, and this is a YUUUUUUUUUUGE problem.

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openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE

First Year Stories //elizabeth ellis

September is here — whether you are returning or are a new resident of London, Ontario, you are probably (hopefully) excited to be here. What exactly does it mean to live in London and go to school at Western?

Well…you are a mustang. AKA: you bleed purple, you enjoy going to Jack’s on Mondays and you have an intimate relationship with Weldon. You dodge vicious geese on your way to campus and go to the Spoke between classes.

If you’re new here, you may be wondering what I’m talking about. The location, customs, faces, and traditions may be different to what you’ve been used to for the past couple years. How do you become comfortable in a campus of more than 30,000 undergraduate students?

Don’t worry because everyone — whether they want to admit it or not — has or still continues to feel unsure about life in university. So ya, I know where my classes are each year (mostly) and I know the best times to go to the Rec Centre (sorta) but I’ll always find something that surprises me.

This summer I took the chance to talk to some “experienced” students to give you an idea of what university life has been like for them. Here are their first year stories.

“We had a prank war happening on my floor, and one night we played a game that resulted in me losing and subsequently puking. The bigger problem? I ended up puking on a saran wrap covered toilet due to that prank war. The boys had to clean up after me and carry me to bed... moral of the story: beware of prank wars” - Laurel Bury, 4th Year MIT “I opened my door to my residence and there was a folded sheet of paper with a Western letterhead and looked official. In it was a request to sit with me about “suspicious” nighttime activity that they had of me on security cameras. I panicked. I immediately took it to my friends down the hall who were playing PlayStation together and read it out to them while expressing my worries about getting expelled. After a little under an hour later I got a text from a friend who told me everyone had crafted this perfect prank. I wasn’t even mad, I was just so relieved it wasn’t real.”

- Joseph Masellis, 4th year MIT

“After discovering we threw out 12,000 coffee cups a day on campus at Western, I decided to dive into ways we can make real actionable changes as students to live a more sustainable life. Not to mention the $$ you save from using a reusable cup... 10 cents adds up!”

- Katherine Chien, 4th year Genetics “Well...I ate a jalapeño cheddar bagel with roasted red pepper cream cheese and a chocolate monkey smoothie twice a week. My meal plan wasn’t happy but I have no regrets!”

- Bianca Huang, 2nd year MIT 10 //v.17.1

openWIDE// WESTERN LIFE “As a floor in first year, we were a pretty tight knit group. So we did a lot of floor décor competitions. We went all out and essentially made a spooky house for Halloween. It was pretty terrifying. One of the soph judges got so scared he couldn’t make it to the other end of the floor. We didn’t win that, which was a downright travesty. For Christmas we lined the whole floor with over 600 lights. Exam period has never been so merry…”

- Rukun Wang, 4th year Engineering “If you’re directionally challenged like me...scope out your classes before they start. Unless you want to show up an hour late to the wrong lecture. I remember one time I had class in UC which I had so much trouble finding that I just went to hang out at UCC instead.”

- Brianna Harford, 4th year Psychology “I met a lot of exchange students from the UK, Australia, China, Denmark, France, Germany, and many more at Global Cafe. I ended up exploring cool places in London with them. I met them at Global Cafe every Thursday at 3 pm at IGAB Building. Thank you Global Cafe!”

- Gloria Pasau, 4th year Urban Development “We needed to sweat out all the bad decisions and booze from the party the night before so we put garbage bags around all the doors our washroom, turned the showers on hot and enjoyed a nice sauna.”

- Sam Brown, 4th year Kinesiology “‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’. First year was fun and full of parties but it was also full of sadness and anxiety. Anxiety is one thing they leave out of their presentation on the Western Student Experience, yet it is a dominating aspect of first year. All of first year I struggled with anxiety when it came to my school work and classes. On many exams and assignments I did poorly. It’s hard to ask for help when a school offers so little in that way. I was persistent in asking for help even though I was embarrassed. Being persistent was the key to getting help. It’s not ideal for everyone and it shouldn’t be the way the educational system works. We need to change that. Schools need to care about and offer as much help as they can to their students.”

- Jenn Yee, 5th year Social Science

After hearing from countless students about their first year experiences, I realized how easy it is to talk about a drunken night, getting lost on campus, spending your meal plan money at the Spoke, and making new friends.

Why? Because these are stories that are constantly “sold” as the university experience.

First year is supposed to be the best time of your life and you’re supposed to feel a bit lost because hey, university is new. These experiences are normalized. But what about the experience that Jenn Yee spoke out about?

No one should have to feel embarrassed if their university experience does not replicate the experience that we as students are constantly sold. You may feel anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, homesick. You may experience issues with roommates, exams, readings, relationships, sleep, stress…

This is all part of the university experience.

You are not alone.

If you or someone you know needs help: http://uwo.ca/health/mental_wellbeing/resources.html v.17.1// 11

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M O H

G N I M O EC

THREAT

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GH I N D I M LEVEL

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LLY E K L CHE A R & S

LI L A W A // ERIC Over the summer, Western’s administration made the decision to move Homecoming from its coveted spot on the last nice weekend of the school year and banish it to dreary late October. At a first glance, this might not seem like a huge deal. Certainly, an outsider might question why students are so enraged. After all, Queens has had Homecoming in October for years (when they’ve had it at all), and anything that Queens can do, Western can undoubtedly do better.

The reality is, a change in date won’t put a stop to the oldest tradition on campus. The problem lies in the way Western’s administration decided to handle the matter.

When announcing the Homecoming move, the way Western spoke about its students was patronizing at best, and insulting at worst. When a university refers to a street party on Broughdale as a potentially “unspeakable disaster” that draws “individuals that police have identified as having criminal histories,” a few eyebrows might raise. Is

“a change in date won’t put a stop to the oldest tradition on campus. the oldest tradition on campus.” the university talking about an annual street party here, or the July 2016 riots in Baton Rouge? In a year of countless legitimate disasters like 136 American mass shootings (so far), terror attacks around the world, and a possible Trump presidency, is a gathering of drunken students really worthy of the title “disaster”?

And the absurd part is, this date change came on the heels of one of the calmest Homecomings in recent memory.

This past year saw a 78% drop in criminal charges related to Homecoming, and alternative programming like HOCO on the Hill drew crowds upwards of 5000 people. Student

leadership has worked on all fronts to make Homecoming safe and enjoyable, and this past year saw some actual results. In response to this, instead of consulting its students, Western administration consulted law enforcement. This sends the message that students are the threat to be dealt with, not the people they intend to protect, nurture, and educate.

“This past year saw a 78% drop in criminal charges related to Homecoming, and alternative programming like HOCO on the Hill drew crowds upwards of 5000 people.”

When risks to students are examined, in the past year suicide and on-campus accidents have been far deadlier to Western students than any Homecoming party. Yet despite several well-publicized and tragic deaths on campus, Student Health Services, Student Development Centre, Campus Police, and other services remain desperately understaffed. Campus police presence has been steadily decreasing over the past few years. The university employs a handful of therapists that simply cannot accomodate 30,000 students, as evidenced by the months students must wait in order to simply get an assessment appointment. If Western wanted to help students most, it should be looking where the most harm has been done.

This leaves the whole issue with a big question: what was the administration thinking when they decided to move Homecoming, and who were they really trying to benefit?

It seems clear that the university does not truly have its students’ best interests at heart when they see its oldest tradition as the biggest threat, instead of an infrastructure of mental health assistance that simply doesn’t work. Imagine the kind of change that could take place on campus if a decisive action of this sort had gone towards something that could provide actual long-term benefits to students, instead of just preventing a bit of binge drinking. Moving Homecoming doesn’t prove that Western has its student’s best interests at heart. Instead, it makes clear how its administration really sees when it looks at its student body — a liability.

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openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hot spots in London Whether you are coming from a big city, or have never visited London and don’t know where to go outside of your studies, check out our guide below! Despite London’s small town exterior, there are many hidden gems. Explore outside of the Western bubble and show off your new finds to all your friends!

For the Eclectic Film Buff Hyland Cinema

240 Wharncliffe Rd S If you want to escape from your typical Michael Bay blockbuster and explore more independent cinema, Hyland is the place.

It takes a bit of travel time getting there, but the intimate theatre and retro atmosphere is worth it. Also, there are always some great film posters on sale at the front entrance.

Your New Favourite Study Spot Black Walnut Café

134 Wortley Rd A cozy and popular study spot, Black Walnut is well known for their delicious baked goods and homey atmosphere.Their homemade bread is a must! Come bring your friends here for a group study session. It definitely beats Weldon.

Unique Thrifting Filthy Rebena

177 Dundas St At Filthy Ribena, you will find everything you expect from a great vintage store, but also discover hidden treasures! From collectible buttons, an award-winning collection of jackets, and even old postcards, you won’t be disappointed at this cult favourite thrift store.

Our Editor, Erica’s Favourite Study Spot (so you know it’s good kids!)

Locomotive Espresso

408 Pall Mall Street This coffee shop is the stuff of a hipster’s tumblr aesthetic, so you better prepare yourself to feel hella cool if you study here. A little removed from the busy Richmond Row, this coffee shop at 408 Pall Mall St. sells all kinds of fair-trade coffees, teas and homemade sandwiches. The food is a little on the pricey side, but if you eat beforehand, you can buy a pot of organic tea for $2 and sit yourself down by a full picture window for a 4 or 5 hour study marathon. Sometimes they turn the speakers off, and one of the baristas will sit down to play guitar for a few hours. It’s as near a perfect study spot as you can get.

Comic Collector’s Capital Heroes Comics

186 Dundas St. Whether you’re an experienced comic connoisseur or an aspiring enthusiast, Heroes is the place to start. Carrying monthly books from major and indie publishers alike, all the trade paperbacks you can imagine and amazing deals on collections and back issues, every time I find myself in the store, it’s usually an hour long visit at least! Also, if you’re into collectibles and statues, Heroes boasts an enormous collection of pop-culture merch, rare and imported items, and hard-to-find posters for your dorm room that you will not be able to find at other poster sales! Be the envy for your geek friends and check out Heroes asap!

Best Brunch

The Bag Lady

474 Pall Mall St This tiny little cafe is the perfect spot to grab some Sunday morning brunch. Not only is the food fantastic, but vintage decor lines the walls, giving the space an eclectic and homey environment. To boot, on weekends they serve all-day breakfast!

When Jenga Beats a Night at Prohibition

openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Cardboard Cafe

114 Dundas St If you’re looking to get away from campus, sip coffee and play board games on a Friday night this is the spot. No judging, we all need nights away from Richmond-Row.

Fresher than the Grocery Checkout at the UCC Covent Garden Market

130 King St This farmer’s market is awesome for all you hippie-veggie loving friends. But seriously, it’s great. They have food, candles, flowers, and much more.

Sushi Hangover 168 SUSHI

660 Oxford St W Okay sushi lovers, at 168 AYCE (all you can eat) sushi is exceptional. You can order from iPads which is always fun too! Get ready to be full, happy, and come out twice your weight. Awesome study break or hungover lunch spot.

Second-Hand Beauties

Mesh Boutique on Richmond

204 John St This consignment store is awesome. Selling all used clothes which are usually posted on their Facebook account https://www. facebook.com/meshboutiquelondon for those of you who are too lazy to venture to Richmond-Row to see for yourself. Good deals, used clothing, and awesome customer service.

Yogies: A Great Place for Yoga in London Moksha Yoga

677 Richmond St #4 Need to namaste your way through finals, or just need a getaway from the bustling crowds on campus? Come here to relax and replenish your mind.

Memorabilia and All-Day Breakfast The Early Bird Cafe

355 Talbot St The only place you really need to know about for brunch. Fantastic food, great drink, and the friendliest staff around. For fun, ask one of the owners to tell you about the decorating choices. Everything in the space has a story.

Still Thinking About Getting Inked?

Red Door Tattoo

567 Richmond St Reasonably priced, very good quality, clean tattoo parlour. The staff is a little gruff, and they will grumble about giving you a Pinterest-popular tattoo (looking at you script-on-the-ribs, tiny anchors, and infinity symbols), but they will do an impeccable job if you can put up with them giving their two-cents.

Need to Change Up Your Look For a Good Price?

Chatters Hair Salon

1703 Richmond St #117b Chatters is the best place to get the haircut your mom really doesn’t want you to get. The salon specializes in crazy colours and half-shaven heads. The staff are friendly and services are well-priced!

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Soundtrack to your First year Backpack? Check! Textbooks? Check!

University Survival Playlists? Check, check, and check! Three essential playlists you’re going to want to download for your first year at UWO:

Study to the Beat Genre: Electronic, Downtempo, Chillstep, Instrumental Length: 16 songs (1 hour, 16 mins) Ever wished you could memorize your textbooks as easily as you memorize song lyrics? You may have a 1000 word essay to write, but this music has hardly any words!

16 songs featuring mainly mellow electronic instrumentals to help you stay focused and get your study on. That essay will be so good, even your prof will be at a loss for words!

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// Rebecca Mclaren

Intro – The xx Roofies – Dream Koala Dive – Tycho Minor Cause – Emancipator Basique – Little People Withering – Jacoo Nachtmusik – Seams Sleeping Children Are Still Flying – Blue Sky Black Death Cirrus – Bonobo Blinking Lights – The Walton Hoax In My Car – Gold Panda Valley Girl – Luvian Ariane – Else Punga – Klingande Girls – Slow Magic Sun Models (feat. Madelyn Grant) – ODESZA

Those Long Walks to North Campus Building Genre: Alternative, Indie Length: 19 songs (1 hour, 5 mins) It’s 9am on a Monday morning, and you love Marshall McLuhan as much as the next person, but the thought of walking all the way to NCB for class makes you want to curl up in a ball to cry. We know the medium is the massage, but we promise you that it’s the content of this playlist that will pick you up en route to your class. Upbeat and catchy alternative songs that even a walk up UC Hill can’t ruin.

Seeing Stars – BØRNS In/Out – Dan Croll All Our Love – Gentlemen Hall Your Soul – Coasts Kisser – Step Rockets Work It Out – Knox Hamilton Lips – Oyster Kids Vice – Lisbon My Type – Saint Motel Out of My League – Fitz and the Tantrums Run – We The Wild All Over – CRUISR Glory Days – 1955 [Explicit] Run – COIN Childish – Night Lights Dreaming - Smallpools Monument – Mutemath Stars (EP Version) – Future Generations Home – Islandis

openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pre-exam Pump-up Genre: Rap, Hip-hop Length: 16 songs (1 hour, 5 mins)

Got a big quiz, test, midterm, or exam coming up? Calm those nerves and get in the zone with some of the biggest rap hits of the 2000s. Pop in headphones in your dorm or on the way to class and bop to your favourite heavy bass beats from middle school. If you’re on the fifth floor of Weldon, don’t say we didn’t warn you: it’ll be difficult to resist dancing and singing along.

Yeah! – Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris Low (feat T-Pain) – Flo Rida In Da Club – 50 Cent [Explicit] Stronger – Kanye West [Explicit] Gold Digger – Kanye West, Jamie Foxx [Explicit] Ms. Jackson – OutKast [Explicit] Look At Me Now – Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes [Explicit] Get Low – Ying Yang Twins, Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz [Explicit] Party Up – DMX [Explicit] Black Skinhead – Kanye West [Explicit] Mercy – Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chainz [Explicit] The Next Episode – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg [Explicit] Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams [Explicit] Get Ur Freak On – Missy Elliott [Explicit] Lose Yourself – Eminem [Explicit] Back To Back – Drake [Explicit] *All songs are available for free on Spotify v.17.1// 17

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Everything You Thought You Knew Is A Lie And Other //bianca huang Startling Revelations Dear First Year,

of studying becomes an obstacle to keeping in touch. Be mindful that it’s okay to not meet your new best friend, or find your people within the first few months, or even first semester! Talk to different people who may appear to not share any common interests with you. They might surprise you!

Firstly, welcome to Western! I’m so excited for you to discover this wonderful place, especially FIMS! I hope this letter finds you well, and acts as a little introduction to your faculty and guide to first year. Along with some anecdotes from my freshman year, I illustrate what I did and did not Finally, it has come to my attention there is one learn from film and television. If you know me well already, I caveat to the purpose of this letter. You may be misguided am a big film freak. This is how I make connections and make into thinking I would explain what FIMS is all about. sense of this bizarre world, so bear with me!

Unfortunately, I cannot do that. I am incredibly biased, but this faculty is special in that it means something different At this moment, you might feel as perturbed as to everyone. Whether you are in MIT, MTP, or MPI, you Benjamin from The Graduate (1967) after graduating will have a different definition of FIMS. I will say that you high school. Your family and friends are eager to see what should be proud of yourself and all that you have you accomplish next in your journey of postaccomplished to come here. But at the same secondary education. Meanwhile, you are time, like Frances in Frances Ha (2013), you smiling with excitement but internally cannot let those around you challenge filled with a tremor of fear because you your personal aspirations. In first year don’t really know what you want to do I was lucky to get my first choice for in order to be a productive member residence selection; however, little did of society! If you do feel sure of I know that I would be the black sheep yourself, I applaud you; however, be among the proud, and pretentious wary; there will be waves of doubt science students. I learned quickly and precarious premonitions ahead. not to let discouraging comments I want to tell you that this is a good faze me. The first few times I thing. These worries are all normal. received disheartening remarks, I retorted with lame comebacks that Much like Rory Gilmore, ended with embarrassment. Instead, I I arrived at university keen and eager would try and encourage conversations to learn, but I forgot to enjoy the student about topics discussed in my classes. I know what experience. Rory feels prepared with all the audacity you are thinking, but I promise that it’s an effective tactic to succeed and the excitement of moving away from home, to leaving the typical STEM kid speechless with a mouth until she realizes she can’t do without Lorelai. I grew up agape in bemusement. For example, one evening at dinner in a small school where I knew everyone’s name, and they I slyly brought up the harmful ramifications of binarist knew mine. My high school was like Stars Hollow; I was representations in our world such as gender, or the production comfortable in my small, and rather quirky community of coffee. The latter was the topic for my essay (but more of where the people and spaces felt like a second home. this later in MIT 1020). Conversations about my program Upon arrival at Western, I braced myself for the awkward would result in a multitude of eyebrow furrowing, and many encounters. Believe me when I say that first year feels like questions. This advice extends to anyone pursuing the stigma middle school all over again, where you have to learn how inducing, dreaded liberal arts degree! Similar to Frances, to make new friends and interact with strangers! I like to you must embrace all the uncertainty and bewilderment that think I am a social butterfly, so I never thought I would discover my inability to make a new group of friends. This is comes with discovering your interests. Rather than pretend a common misconception of the transition to university, and to be certain about her future as a professional contemporary it’s normal! You will make fast friends during frosh week as dancer, she remains loyal to her flaws. Be proud, show off you attend events and eat at the caf every day with the same your knowledge on cybernetics (after all, AI is the now!), and don’t be afraid to fail. people. Disclaimer: your frosh week squad will not always be your forever squad. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes frosh squads do last! But this scenario is very rare as the tsunami

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Much love,

Bianca, Your A&E Editor

openWIDE// ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Show You Never Heard About //Ariana Magliocco I’ll begin by acknowledging how presumptuous the article title is. I in no way wish to offend the hordes of inevitable Horace and Pete fans who will be quick to assert their loyalty to what can only be objectively classified as the best show of our generation; but alas, I’m the author and as such have the authority to make the title what I’d like.

For those of you who have never heard of the show, Horace and Pete is a web series produced, directed and starring Louis C.K that made its debut via a cryptic email to his mailing list last January. The email read, “Horace and Pete episode one is available for download. $5. Go here to watch it. We hope you like it.” No promotion, no trailers, no interviews on Ellen – just one email through a medium typically considered obsolete to anyone who doesn’t sign up for rewards cards.

The show was entirely self-funded by Louis C.K and can be streamed or downloaded directly from his website. Horace and Pete transcends any one artistic medium, borrowing elements from live theatre, television and sketch-comedy, the episodes vary in length, and linear time is irrelevant. It is awkward, and honest, and the farthest thing from corporate media. The show tackles issues of politics, terrorism, mental illness, alcoholism and the scars of decades of abuse, while somehow keeping it chillingly light. So after 10 incredible episodes

when the show had finished, unbeknownst to the audience, i was saddened to see the media’s quick judgement to label it a failure, claiming it had been “cancelled.” This rhetoric was used simply because the show didn’t fall within the corporate formula of success. The show didn’t capitalize on consumers’ investments in the characters to squeeze every last dollar out of them, but rather used that organic attachment to create a thematic punch in the face. It is this detachment from corporate media practices that makes the show so revolutionary, and the issues tackled more genuine. The show is an uncomfortable reflection of reality that holds a mirror to the absurdity of humanity and mundanity of everyday life. Horace and Pete makes outstanding social commentary without saying anything at all. There is no right and wrong, and if there is, that’s not what you pay attention to. They are all just people wrapped in the web of their own lives, flawed and freaking out. At a time when social commentary has become so polarized, Horace and Pete presents the grey zone in which most of our lives operate within. The web series provides the questions, but is not pretentious enough to imply they have any of the answers.

So go watch Horace and Pete. Support independent work and see why it is so important. v.17.1// 19

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ZINE CANADA

SILENTLY WONDERING, “WHY BOTHER?” SINCE 1906

MIT ANNOUNCES SPLITS FROM WESTERN, BREXIT STYLE “I just want out of this mess.”

NEW FIMS BUILDING MYSTERIOUSLY TAKES FORM OF A PANOPTICON Western report predicts surveillance will increase student productivity by 73.8%

OPENWIDE TEAM ANNOUNCES NEW MARKETING MODEL Sources say it involves propaganda, communism and subtle persuasion through free food

SUPPORT GROUPS WILL BE ON SITE AFTER FIRST MIT LECTURE FOR CONFUSED FIRST YEARS “Why are we talking about trees?”

NEW QUESTIONNAIRE TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON THE MIT FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE Answer boxes range from “Who the hell is Foucault” to “I thought I was going to be on tv”

TIM BLACKMORE WINS FACULTY AWARD FOR MOST PEOPLE TO FIT IN OFFICE AT ONE TIME Local fire chief warns that 40 people in a 7 foot room might be “a slight safety hazard”

WESTERN HOUSING ANNOUNCES DECISION TO LOCK FIRST YEARS IN THEIR RESIDENCE AT NIGHT “We’re flirting with unspeakable disaster having students loose” said Janice Deakin

WESTERN FIRST YEARS PROVIDED WITH LEASHES IN THEIR FIRST YEAR KITS “The Buddy system will now be strictly enforced”

NEW FIMS BUILDING TO SELL EXCLUSIVELY NON-GMO, FAIR-TRADE FOOD Any tim hortons spotted on the premises will be violently confiscated

WESTERN ANNOUNCES 2016 PLAN FOR MARKETING: SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE EVEN MORE POSTERS IN EVEN BIGGER SIZES Takes estimated 50% cut of student tuition

FIRST YEARS SURPRISED TO FIND THAT THE ‘BEST STUDENT EXPERIENCE’ DOES IN FACT INCLUDE HOMEWORK First year Chase Matthews contemplates dropping out for a gap year as a result

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KARL MARX RISES FROM DEAD TO PERSONALLY THANK MIT FOR KEEPING HIM SO RELEVANT “Thanks fam”

WESTERN BANS THE TERM “FIRST YEARS” Sophs resort to calls of “Bruh!” resulting in mass confusion

STUDENT BRAVELY PLEDGES TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WORKSCHOOL-SOCIAL BALANCE Fails by second day of O-week

STUDENT ASTOUNDED THAT FIFTEEN NIGERIAN PRINCES EMAILED THEIR WESTERN EMAIL ACCOUNT Combined wire transfers could allegedly cover all student debt in the faculty

STUDENT MISSING SINCE APRIL DISCOVERED IN WELDON STACKS Reports say he woke up for third exam and could not find a way out

A GROUP OF TODDLERS HAS BEEN CONTRACTED TO DRAW DETAILED MAPS OF WELDON FOR O-WEEK KITS Plans criticized for being deceptively straight-forward

UC HILL UNDERGOES MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATIONS FOR EVEN BETTER GRAD PICTURES Renos include a slightly higher incline

GEESE SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES OFFERED AS PART OF OPTIONAL O-WEEK PROGRAMMING Attendance spikes by the third day

WELDON NAMED ‘MOST BEAUTIFUL LIBRARY IN CANADA’ Adjudicator promptly arrested for accepting bribes

PARENTS REMAIN BLISSFULLY IGNORANT OF THEIR CHILD’S O-WEEK ACTIVITIES “Yeah mom, it’s just gonna be a quiet night around here.”

STUDENT SETS WORLD-RECORD FOR FASTEST MAJOR CHANGE AT AN UNDER-GRADUATE LEVEL Chad exits Zinke Physics eleven minutes and thirty-eight seconds into lecture

GAME OF THRONES CLASS STUDENTS EXIT NEW CLASS EN MASS AFTER FINDING THEY NEED TO ACTUALLY READ THE BOOKS “I already bought my popcorn” complained one disgruntled TV fan

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FROSH MADlibs

//RACHEL KELLY

Dear ______ and ________,

What a ________ week it has been! The people here are _______ ________! I am so __________ for the rest of the year to (adjective) (adverb) (adjective) (emotion) start.

My roommate is __________. I know we are going to ______ each other by __________. I have made _______ of friends, (adjective) (verb) (time of year) (number) it is ___________ to meet people here. I am in _____________, which is full of ______________. Whatever, at least it isn’t (adjective) (residence name) (rude nicknames) _________________, it’s so _______________. (worst residence) (adjective) My RA has spoken to me _______ of times and seems _________, so I am _________ __________ of them. The sophs are (number) (adjective) (adverb) (emotion) ________________, I ___________ them. They woke us up at _______by ________________ on our doors and playing a (adjective in all caps) (verb) (time) (verb ending in –ing) _______________ as loud as possible. They also won’t stop playing _______________________________ and it is making (instrument) (song you have heard most this week) me ____________. They give _______________ advice; who knew you had to bring _________________ to every (emotion) (adjective) (item of clothing) _____________________ tutorial. They promised to______________ all year. (first class on your schedule) (verb) Apparently, the profs and TAs are __________________ until O-Week is over. Its supposed to be impossible to get above a (verb ending in –ing) ____ in ____________, I am ________ going to _________! Whatever, at least I got to ____________________________. (grade) (your program) (adverb) (verb) (favourite thing you have done during O-Week) Please don’t be mad if I don’t _______________________________. I’m in university now, I am a (thing your parents really want you to do) _________________________, you can’t tell me what to do anymore! (nickname for Western students) Please give _________________ kisses from me. Love you both! (pet’s name) _________________ (sign-off) _________________ (your name)

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WARNING! THE FOLLOWING WEEK WILL CONTAIN: O WEEK!

• 24 hours of non-stop activities every week • early mornings and absurdly late nights • blaring music at all times • around 1,500 new students

SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS EXPERIENCE MAY INCLUDE: • • • •

exhaustion dizziness and disorientation feeling lost or scared running out of phone storage due to excessive drunk photos and newly added contacts (who you will never call) • an urgent need to do all the most college things you can in one week

RECOMMENDED TREATMENT: • take a deep breath • remember that you have a full year to go

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