To Be (In-Person) or Not to Be by The Peak

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NEWS SFU special collections acquires rare 16th century book

OPINIONS Social and sincere — interacting through the pandemic

FEATURES The SFSS wants you to run in the 2022 election

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NEWS

January 24, 2022

COLLECTIVE CONCERNS

It’s a difficult situation across the board, one that I don’t think would be solved by a unilateral decision for SFU to stay online but that I do think will benefit from ongoing student agitation for greater flexibility at an institutional level. H ANNAH M C G R E G O R // SFU publishing assistant professor and graduate program chair

NEWS

IMPORTANT ITALICS

News Editor Nancy La

News Writers Karissa Ketter and Yelin Gemma Lee

news@the-peak.ca

OPINIONS

January 24, 2022

I did not take well to social distancing in March 2020. I’d find myself staring at Zoom calls after my lectures had ended, wondering if I should have DM’d my classmates to get their social media. It’s hard to assess your relationships when online because everything feels more impersonal. So I think having developed the language we have to describe all of these compounding and unique anxieties is nice, but for me it still feels inadequate.

I do admit the break initially gave me time to reflect on how I approached my work and my friendships. There’s also a particular . . . exhaustion with online hangouts through Zoom and Discord. Having only one outlet through which to talk to my friends felt like a burden, making it difficult for me to assess my needs, let alone theirs.

During the beginning of the pandemic, I was the mental health council president at my high school, which prompted me to feel a great deal of pressure to be the one to “check in” with my loved ones and peers. Don’t get me wrong — I care a great deal about the people in my life, but “check ins” were often accompanied by a great deal of responsibility and anxiety. I don’t believe anyone should feel wholly responsible for making sure their peers are mentally/physically well — this responsibility is undue. Although I have concerns regarding the term “checking in,” there are also conceptual issues surrounding the idea of “reaching out.” Namely, some find it difficult to ask for help, making “reaching out” difficult for those select individuals. Whatever the reason may be — reaching out can seem daunting.

I agree; I don’t think their mental and personal welfare is entirely your responsibility. I remember early in the pandemic, there seemed to be more conversations happening around personal boundaries regarding difficult topics. In my experience, this meant I was having more difficult conversations. I respect that articulating these problems is an exhausting process. But listening without assessing your mental wellbeing can be burdensome, too. Boundaries are the compromise. I learned that when I was “reaching out,” sometimes this meant asking if it was an appropriate time to talk. Learning how to do this was a bit awkward, as it can be difficult to ask whether a person is ready to listen to some difficult news when you feel like you have no other outlets. But it is vital to learn what your peers’ boundaries are to be fair to yourself, and to your loved ones. Sometimes you kind of have to intuit these lines to start — these are personal conversations, and relying too heavily on a template can eclipse the sincerity needed.

I enjoyed lockdown at first. But by the end of March 2020, I found myself missing the world outside of my home and the small interactions that I’d taken for granted. Carrying out friendships online simply wasn’t cutting it for me either. I completely agree that DM’ing my friends felt impersonal and superficial. My friends and I organized Zoom calls — but it just wasn’t the same. I left the calls feeling even more isolated than before.

I’ve learned an important part of reaching out is knowing what you need. Do you want advice? Or do you just want someone to listen? Likewise, when a friend reaches out to you, it’s good to ask what they need from you, because you can assess whether you can provide that for them. Maybe they’d even just like to be tagged in a cute video or a meme.

These preferences are entirely personal and contextual but, if you are going to “reach out” or “check in,” I believe clear boundaries should exist. For example, if I were to reach out to someone, I should ask my friend if they are currently in a good, and safe, mental state to help me through a rough patch. Asserting this boundary is vital and can contribute to healthy and non-toxic relationships.

Offering a definitive guide of how to reach out is hard. During the pandemic, I was trying to repress so much of my emotions. It was so hard to know when was the right time to share these feelings since I worried about the same things almost daily. Sometimes, I’ve had to tell friends I need a break in the middle of a hard conversation and when I think I could come back to the conversation. It feels shitty to do. But you and your friends deserve to have good support from each other, and you won’t be able to provide it if you don’t know your limitations.

OPINIONS

OVERTHROW THE RULERS

HEROES, JUST FOR ONE DAY

Opinions Editor Jacob Mattie

opinions@the-peak.ca

ARTS & CULTURE

Arts & Culture Editor Sara Wong

arts@the-peak.ca

SEEN BY THE STARS

As a listener, I was invited to sit with these women and reflect on my struggles. When they let go of their hurt, it felt like a release.

Four accessible ways to make art at home Try these tools for your next DIY project

Many memorable artists, from Beatrix Potter to Billie Eilish, started at home. However, there is still a misconception that artmaking is unaffordable or inaccessible. Though good quality painting supplies, cameras, and instruments are generally expensive, plenty of existing art demonstrates that very interesting projects can be completed on very low budgets. Some even find the glitchy, DIY, and experimental quality an added value. On this note, here are some inexpensive tools for making art from home!

Great art can be made with low-budget supplies.

Allyson Klassen / The Peak

Music production software

Second-hand art supplies

If you own an Apple device, there is a chance that, among its programs, it has an app called GarageBand. Many well-known artists have used this software. For instance, Grimes’ 2012 Visions album — which fuses ethereal and echoey sound effects in songs like “Genesis” and “Oblivion” — was fully created on Garageband. It has an undeniably user-friendly interface, with intuitive graphics and settings which make it easy to turn the melodies inside your head into sound waves. If you don’t have an Apple device, there are other cool options for a free desktop download, such as Waveform Free and Cakewalk. Alternatively, there are hundreds of simple synth or piano simulator apps you can download and play while screen-recording. Anything is a start!

For those venturing into the world of painting and drawing, the cost of materials might come as a shock. If you’re looking for more affordable options, it could be interesting to join your neighbourhood’s “buy nothing” group! Inspired by the worldwide Buy Nothing project, many neighbourhoods in the Lower Mainland have started Facebook groups where people post unused stuff they want to give away. In my searches, I have come up with a decent number of watercolours, paint, canvases, and even instruments! Other good options for lower-budget art supplies are thrift stores such as Salvation Army and Value Village.

Illustration and editing software Some cheaper alternatives include Procreate, Clip Studio Paint, and Inkscape. These are commonly used by freelance illustrators online, who post their art for commissions on social media. For film production, there is Lightworks or iMovie, which are also user-friendly and intuitive. All of these programs offer a wide variety of tools that will definitely help you deliver a good-quality piece.

Art prompts If the inconvenience is not the means to make art, but what to create, a potentially useful method is to gather with fellow artists and create monthly art challenges. My friends and I started doing this using one-word prompts. One example was “transformation,” where the idea was to turn a piece of art we felt negatively towards into something we liked or appreciated. For inspiration, check out artprompts.org.

ARTS & CULTURE

January 24, 2022

C HARLENE AVIL E S, STA FF WR IT E R

Food for Thought: Pancit canton Dive into the cultural, political,

Long noodles, long life. ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal / The Peak PHOTO: Knorr

Pancit canton

without pancit canton

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pancit canton

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YOUNG AT HEART

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Sports Editor Isabella Urbani | Sports Writer Greg Makarov | sports@the-peak.ca

SPORTS

UNDEFEATED

ON EDGE

As happy as I was, I couldn’t help anticipating the next rough patch. Every time I landed a jump, all I felt was relief.

SPORTS

January 24, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

SFU takes home first in the 800m at the first indoor meet of the season thanks to Alison Andrews-Paul. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

There is nothing she can’t do : Andrews-Paul and the SFU’s 4x400m relay team win. A possible candidate for January Player of the Month? January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

HOLD THE ! Aaron Ahl just ran the secondfastest 3000m in Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) history. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

SFU swimmer Kaleigh Sharkey wins three of the seven winning individual races at the women’s latest meet against Idaho. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

SFU loses to Idaho 183–132 this weekend in the pool. They were originally scheduled to take on Washington State, who pulled out due to COVID-19 protocols. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

Rising star : Freshman swimmer Isabelle Roth won two races for SFU. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

Make it eight wins in a row for SFU hockey to remain perfect this season. January 15, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

Aaron Ahl and Alison Andrews-Paul earn GNAC Athletes of the Week. Do you think they saw our Power Rankings article? January 17, 2022

The Peak @PeakSFU

Men’s basketball edges out Alaska to remain undefeated at home. January 18, 2022

HUMOUR

Humour Editor Sara Brinkac

humour@the-peak.ca

The incidence of umbrella under awning attacks is increasing

HUMOUR

January 24, 2022

ARIES — Mar 21–Apr 19

LIBRA — Sept 23–Oct 22

One day this semester — when you least expect it — a tall dark stranger will come to you with grave news. Be nice to them, the cemetery industry is pretty dead nowadays, and they’re excited to share this update with you.

Big journeys begin with a single step — but so do step aerobics classes. Maybe just try taking a step and see what it starts.

TAURUS — Apr 20 –May 20

SCORPIO — Oct 23–Nov 21

Be wary of aimless travellers this week. They have an astoundingly terrible sense of direction and will just bump into you totally unprompted.

You will have Good Luck this week. I really appreciate you taking care of him, he’s my favourite iguana. Don’t forget he eats at 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., I’ll be by on Sunday to pick him up — thanks again!

GEMINI — May 21–Jun 20

SAGITTARIUS — Nov 22–Dec 21

Laugh long, loud, and often. People need to know you have the intensity and sense of humour of a Moon God.

The light of good fortune is peaking out from behind the clouds. I suggest grabbing some shades, SPF, and a bottle of water. Your future is going to get very bright very quickly and I’d hate for you to burn.

CANCER — Jun 21–Jul 22

CAPRICORN — Dec 22–Jan 19

When one door opens, another door opens too. It’s an odd door based domino effect, I’m not really sure how it works — I think it’s like a pulley system? Anyways — just watch out for your heating bill this month, it’s gonna be off the chain.

You will be given advice by a star-whisperer in training this week — something to do with bees. It probably won’t be beneficial to you but they’re trying their best ok.

LEO — Jul 23–Aug 22

AQUARIUS — Jan 20 –Feb 18

A new romance is in your future. Shit. No. It’s romaine. A new romaine is in your future. I think you’re running low on groceries.

The currents of time are flowing in your direction. I don’t know what this means, how they’re flowing, or why now, but I think it’s supposed to be a good thing.

VIRGO — Aug 23–Sept 22

PISCES — Feb 19–Mar 20

In coming months, you will receive a letter from one close to you — I think it’s an “A.” Maybe think about getting close to your professor.

I don’t know what to tell you, man. It’s literally just the word “poop.”

COMIC BY SARA BRINKAC

DIVERSIONS

Business Manager Yuri Zhou

business@the-peak.ca

CROSSWORD

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