The Bridge: Back to December (21/22)

Back To December 2021 - 2022

Ha p p y Ho l i d a y s

DECEMBER 2021 Vice President of Communications

Director of Publications

Junior Editors

Cover Design

Breanne Bacani

Mariko Gardiner Balreet Grewal Manav Joshi Phoenix Martinez

Contributors Reem Rashed

Safiya Ahmad Safiya Ahmad

Copyright

All materials appearing in The Bridge bear copyright to their creator(s) under the Engineering Students’ Society (ESS) and may not be used without written consent.

Website

essualberta.ca

Contact

esscomm@ualberta.ca

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@essualberta

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Engineering Students’ Society of the University of Alberta

Photo: Tahmid Al Hafiz

DEAR READER, Christmas always looks a little different for my family. Having lost a loved one on Christmas day a few years ago and due to so many unknowns regarding COVID, our Christmas was quiet, reflective but still as joyful as we could make it.

It’s because of our traditions and our love for food (and each other) that Christmas will alway be extra special to me.

All this to say, no matter what your holiday season looks like or who you spend your time with, you are heard, loved and appreciated. I hope that you found some time for yourself - you deserve to rest, recharge and enjoy.

In this chilly winter season cozy up with your warmest blankets while you read through this edition of The Bridge. We hope you find warmth in our articles about traditions, music, movies and more.

Happy Holidays!

Best, Breanne Bacani Vice President of Communications

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CONTENTS 6 In the New Year ESS Career Fair Interview Tips

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9 Just For Fun

Girl: A Short Story Bre’s Book Nook Cookie Colouring Book 10 Songs That Feel Like Winter

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8 Holiday Joys

Your Gingerbread House Based on Your Discipline What Starbuck’s Holiday Drink Are You? Christmas in the Phillipines Holiday Movies HolidaE 101

0 Features

A Study on Crohn’s Disease

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meet

ME

a

CAREER CAREE FAIR FAIR 6

(virtual) January 6, 202

at the

R ER

secure your spot now:

22, 10am - 3pm

THE

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Interview Tips

To help you ace your next interview

Research the company ahead of time! This way you have an understanding of the company culture and values.

Look at the job posting you're interviewing for, then during the interview, use relevant anecdotes where necessary.

Research the platform you want to work for. You may have not worked in this field before, but now you will sound interested and keen on learning more When you don't have an answer to a question, something is better than nothing! Don't skip the question because you have nothing to say; maybe come up with a hypothetical.

Use specific examples for any questions asked when possible.

Always have questions to ask the hiring manger at the end of the interview! It shows again that you did your research.

Don't stress! You've got this!

Good Luck!

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Girl Mariko Gardiner Another day in another town, and Jorge had just finished a story. As he leaned back and put away his instrument, the villagers dispersed. A few gave him food or a few coins, and he gave a muttered thanks in return. Later, when the sun had long gone and everyone else was sleeping, he gathered up all everything he was given and set to counting his coins and eating.

“Excuse me, sir,” a voice said from behind him, “I think this is yours.”

Jorge turned around and there was a girl holding out a coin to him.

“Thank you.” He took the coin and went back to counting. The girl watched him for a couple seconds before Jorge turned back around and spoke to her again. “Why don’t you sit down over here?” he quickly moved his stuff to create a spot for her next to him. She sat quickly, and he took a good look at her.

She was smaller than him and young, maybe 7 or 8, although Jorge was a bad judge of age. She looked hungry. “Have some bread.” He handed her a loaf, and she took it.

“Thank you, sir.”

“It’s nothing. And you can call me Jorge.”

“Thank you, Jorge. I’m Deirdre.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Deirdre.

So, what are you doing out this late at night?”

“I’m running away.” As she said this, she showed Jorge a small pack, presumably filled with everything she owns.

“Running away? Why?” Deirdre shrugged in response and started eating her loaf. Jorge watched her. It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. Sometimes kids got caught up in his stories and wanted to get some action of their own, but their parents would come by sooner or later to take them home. He didn’t remember seeing Deirdre watching him, but there had been a lot of people, she’d probably been hidden in the crowd. Whatever the case, he’d have to either wait for her parents to get her or for her to return home.

“Why are you here?” Deirdre asked. She had finished the loaf already, surprisingly fast for such a small person.

“I’m a storyteller, I’m here to tell stories.” Obviously.

“So, tell me a story.”

“I’ve been telling stories all day; did you not see?” Deirdre shook her head in response. “No? Then why are you here?”

“I told you, I’m running away.”

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“Yes, you said that already,” The corners of Jorge’s mouth smiled slightly in frustration. “What I’d like to know is why.”

Deirdre shrugged again, “Why not? I don’t want to stay, and nobody would care if I left.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. Your parent would miss you very much if you left.”

“No, they wouldn’t. I don’t think they’d even notice.”

Now it was Jorge’s turn to shrug.

“Someone will notice. Anyway, you wouldn’t survive ten days on your own.”

“I could go with you.”

“I’m not taking you away from your parents. They’ll probably be here looking for you tomorrow morning.”

“What if we make a bet?”

Jorge wasn’t usually one to take a bet, but something in her voice convinced him. “Okay, what’s the bet?”

“Since you’re so sure my parents are coming, if they come, I’ll go with them and never try to run away again,” Jorge nodded along as she spoke, “but if they don’t come by this time tomorrow, you take me with you.” He was sure that here parents would come, but he wasn’t sure that he could stay until the next day.

Still, he couldn’t leave her alone at night.

He looked at the stars, and it looked to be about midnight. If he stayed until the next midnight, bad things might happen, but there was no way anyone would wait that long to look for a child.

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“Fine. If your parents aren’t here by midnight tomorrow, I’ll take you with me. But if they come, you’ll go without complaint and stay with them. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“Alright then.” Jorge set up his sleeping mat and watched as she curled up on the cobblestone ground. She fell asleep almost immediately, and he did the same soon after.

Morning came, and Jorge packed up all his stuff, hoping that the girl was already gone, but she was still there, curled up on the ground. He woke her gently and made her some coffee. They shared a meal of stale bread and cheese before settling in to wait.

“So, do you have a family?”

Deirdre’s question came out of nowhere.

“Me? Yeah, I have a family.

There’s me, my two older brothers Jose and Jesus, our parents and grandparents and many cousins. Why?” “Where are they?”

There’s a heavy silence for a full minute before Jorge’s soft response.

“Dead.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” Deirdre looks at him with more sorrow than a child of that age should have. An unspoken question hangs in the air, what happened?

“My family was on the wrong side of a war. I’m the only survivor.”

“Of you’re family?”

“Of an entire race.”

“How?” “It’s a long story.” then.”

“You can tell me tomorrow,

“If no one comes for you, I will tell you tomorrow, but that’s not going to happen.”

Deirdre shrugged again. She does that a lot, Jorge noticed.

They stayed there waiting until people began to mill about again. Deirdre sat by him in silence as the villagers went about their business, but none came to collect her or showed any interest in them at all. As the sun grew higher, Jorge began to grow concerned. He’d been here too long already, his enemies would start closing soon, but he was a man of his word and so he stayed past noon.

“We can leave now if you’d like, no ones coming.” Deirdre was watching him and had apparently noticed his concern.

“I can wait a bit longer,” he replied. “I’m sure they’ll show up soon.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure. One time I got stuck in a tree I was climbing. I was up there for two days before I jumped down. I still have a scar from the fall, see?” Deirdre rolled up her pants and, sure enough, there was a nasty scar across her knee. “When I got back, they were annoyed because it was my turn to feed teddy, but they never worried.”

“You know, he’ll miss you if you leave.”

“He’s dead.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure he had a good life.”

“I think so too.”

As the day wound to the end, the children started to gather around again, so Jorge told another story about a tunnel that went all the way to the other side of the world. As he told the story, he could see Deirdre watching him strum his guitarron with wide eyes. She seemed more entertained by that than the actual story. As the story finished, he passed around a hat to collect his earning.

Deirdre was still behind him, so as he was collecting, he asked the crowd “Has anyone seen this girl’s parents?” and in return he only got head shakes.

By now, the sun was setting, and Jorge needed to move. Suddenly, he heard a howl in the distance and new he could not wait here any longer.

“Come on,” he said to Deirdre, “They’re not coming. You can still go back, but I have to go.” He packed up his stuff and headed out of the village, with Deirdre following behind. As they put the town behind, she started to softly cry.

“You can still go back, it’s not too late,” he told her softly, but she shook her head and they continued, each running away from their own pasts.

“Whose Teddy?”

“My dog.”

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MOST RECENT READ

NORMAL PEOPLE SALLY ROONEY THROUGH OUT THEIR YEARS IN COLLEGE CONNELL AND MARIANNE CIRCLE AROUND EACH OTHER, ABANDON EACH OTHER, FIND NEW PEOPLE AND COME BACK. HOWEVER AS SIMPLE AS THAT MAY SOUND, BOTH HAVE THEIR OWN DEMONS AND THEY MUST DECIDE HOW FAR THEY ARE WILLING TO SAVE EACH OTHER.

BREANNE'S NOVEMBER READ

CONTENT WARNING: EMOTIONAL ABUSE, PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, SUICIDE, DEPRESSION

THOUGHTS & OPINIONS WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS

Despite the mixed reviews on "Normal People" this book was one that I could not put down. It was most definitely not a book that I *enjoyed* reading, it was frustrating, annoying, mundane and repetitive, but I realized that the feelings that were evoked while reading were exactly what Rooney wanted readers to feel. "Normal People" is exactly what the title suggests, two normal individuals who live normal lives and try to navigate through normal relationships. The struggle, the lack of communication, the difficulty in creating a lasting relationship between Marianne and Connell was beautifully and painfully realistic.

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This book feels like being able to view a toxic relationship you once had from an outsiders perspective - all you want to do is tell yourself and your partner to communicate or to tell yourself to get out of that relationship, but you can't.

HOW TO START A BOOK CLUB 1. Choose a book of the Month 2. Read!

3. Talk about your thoughts and opinion of the book and deep dive on all the details!

4. Choose a new book every month.

5. Repeat!

YOUR NEXT READ SHADOW AND BONE LEIGH BARDUGO NOTE: BOOK 1 OF 3 IN THE SHADOW AND BONE TRILOGY THE NATION OF RAVKA HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO TWO BY AN UNCROSSABLE DARKNESS, FULL OF CREATURES WHICH ARE HUNGRY FOR HUMAN FLESH. WHEN ALINA STARKOV'S REGIMENT IS SENT AND ATTACKED ON THE SHADOW FOLD, ALINA DISCOVERS AN UNCONTROLLABLE POWER. WHISKED AWAY TO THE ROYAL COURT, ALINA IS TRAINED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE MAGICAL ELITE CALLED THE GRISHA. HOWEVER SHE QUICKLY LEARNS THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS AS LAVISH AS IT SEEMS. 13

DECORATE ME

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E!

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RUN (FT. ED SHEERAN) - TAYLOR SWIFT I imagine that this is what I would listen to at a ski chalet by the fire

FROM EDEN - HOZIER A song to warm you up when it's too cold to go outside

SINK - BUSYHEAD When you need to romanticize your life while looking out the window at the world covered in a blanket of snow

YOUR POWER - BILLIE EILISH For the nights when your seasonal sadness hits too hard

C U GIRL - STEVE LACY This song feels like a hot shower after a cold day

10 SONGS THAT

FEEL LIKE WINTER

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DREAMING - MAC DEMARCO A song that feels like a cup of hot chocolate after a day in the snow

TESSELATION - MILD HIGH CLUB A song that is smoother than the ice after the zamboni

FLAMING HOT CHEETOS - CLAIRO To celebrate the sun being out...even if it's only for a few hours

4422 - SAMPHA, DRAKE Imagine snow dusting your car, the heater is finally warm and you're being illuminated by the streetlights

WARNED YOU - GOOD MORNING For the snowy Sunday mornings

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gingerbread houses Based on your discipline

ivil

A structural masterpiece that makes use of triangles; civil engineering was meant to over engineer a gingerbread house into a work of art.

omputer

Computer engineering did forget that the mission was to build an actual gingerbread house, but they did build an app that lets you decorate one!

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ng.

hysics

Only engineering physics could create a gravity defying structure that shouldn't be standing but it does. If anyone knows how to do elaborate, its eng. physics.

aterials

Who said that gingerbread houses be made only of gingerbread? If there is one discipline to make a masterpiece of new and innovate materials it's materials engineering

irst ear

Who else to bring new ideas than the first years? This gingerbread house may look deceptively simple, but sometimes, the best answers are the simplest (and the entire inside is decorated to match a single family home)

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ining

Only mining engineering could think of making such a beautiful gingerbread cave complemented with sugar agate! One could happily look at this for days.

echanical

A train can be a gingerbread home?!

Plus, mechanical engineering can make it move around a track, so its a functioning train!

hemical

Chemical engineering has the secret formula that ensures that this gingerbread house will never fall apart. Plus they know the perfect icing consistency to make intricate designs.

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etroleum

Petroleum engineering built a gingerbread oil rig instead! It looks pretty good and can extract the icing from the cookie sea.

lectrical

Anyone can decorate a gingerbread house, but only electrical engineering can get it to light up on the inside! Now, the gingerbread house really comes to life.

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WHAT YOUR STAR DRINK SAYS CHESTNUT PRALINE LATTE You stand out from the crowd and emit nothing but confidence. More people look up to you than you think - you are a leader, a trendsetter and have a lively energy.

IRISH CREAM COLD BREW You enjoy sticking to the norms.

Spontaneity doesn't often come to you but when it does, you are quick to act on it. Just like a cold brew, you're reliable and liked by many.

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PEPPER

Not only a "festive" b trustwort around yo yourself t

RBUCKS HOLIDAY S ABOUT YOU CARAMEL BRULEE LATTE Similar to the warm caramel flavour, you emit a light to those around you.

You're complex and have many layers to your personality which makes you extra compassionate.

RMINT MOCHA LATTE

are you a lover of all things but you are dependable and thy. You are a treat to those ou but know when to treat too.

ICED SUGAR COOKIE LATTE You're spontaneous and people look to you when it comes to making fun plans.

You have a contagious youthful spirit and are able to adapt your energy to fit any vibe.

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CHRISTMAS IN THE PHILIPPINES CELEBRATE A FILIPINO CHRISTMAS WITH ME! Growing up in the Philippines meant celebrating Christmas for 4 months!

As soon as September came, the "-ber" months were upon us and Christmas decorations filled the streets.

PAROL - FILIPINO CHRISTMAS LATERNS This year, my dad and I made our own parol! He actually used to make these in school every year around Christmas time.

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WHEN MY FAMILY MOVED TO CANADA, WE REMEMBERED TO BRING OUR FILIPINO CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WITH US - MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF FOOD.

CHRISTMAS DINNER IN OUR HOUSE CONSISTS OF:

PANDESAL - A Filipino style bread roll that we usually fill with ham and dip in our tsokolate!

TSOKOLATE (choco-lah-tay) Hot chocolate made with cacao tablets and condensed milk - this is super rich so we drink this out of tiny tea cups

PINEAPPLE GLAZED HAM - After Christmas we always end up with a lot of leftover ham, we usually fry it and eat it for breakfast for a few days after 25

FRUIT SALAD - Our fruit salad consists of fruit cocktail, condensed milk and velveeta cheese! (it tastes extra good when it's a little frozen)

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES Chocolate cookies with powdered sugar These are my personal favourite treats for the holidays. Not only are they delicious but they are also fun to make!

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CHCOLATE CRINKLES RECIPE INGREDIENTS: 1 CUP - UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER 2 CUPS - WHITE SUGAR 1/2 CUP - VEGETABLE OIL 4 EGGS 2 TSP - VANILLA EXTRACT 2 CUPS - FLOUR 2 TSP - BACKING POWDER 1/2 TSP - SALT 1/2 CUP - CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR (SAVE THIS FOR LATER)

PREHEAT OVEN: 350 degrees BAKING TIME: 10-12 minutes 1) Mix together cocoa, white sugar and oil in a medium bowl.

2) In the same medium bowl, beat in eggs one at a time and stir in the vanilla.

3) Combine flour, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl 4) Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and stir.

5) Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and coat each cookie ball in the confectioners' sugar.

6) Bake and Enjoy!

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movies 4 the holidays 1.

Spiderman: No Way Home 2.

The Grinch 3.

Home Alone 4.

The Polar Express 5.

Shrek the Halls 6.

Klaus 7. The Man Who Invented Christmas 8.

Love Actually 9.

Elf 10.

The Night Before

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HolidaE101

Rethink career choices Get back to hobbies you neglected because of university Play an instrument you love (or learn a new one) Read a book Bingewatch a show you've always wanted to watch Lie down and scroll through Tiktok for the whole day Do a movie marathon Bake Stay up till 6am Stare at the ceiling and have an existential crisis Go shopping just cause retail therapy Take a trip to Jasper/Banff or somewhere that's not Deadmonton Drink with friends (or by yourself) Just enjoy and relax. The semester is done and you survived another year ! You deserve to do whatever you want ! Remember to always stay warm and hydrated 29

Prebiotics for First-Degree Relatives of Crohn's Patients This month we are featuring the work conducted in a study using prebiotics to prevent Crohn's disease from developing in susceptible people. Read on to find out more!

Text by Reem Rashed Study Coordinator, Crohn's FAD Study

What is Crohn's disease?

Crohn’s disease affects about 130,000 Canadians and is characterized by persistent and recurrent patches of inflammation that can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Crohn’s disease causes a lifelong inflammation of the intestines and has no known cure. People who develop Crohn’s take many medications, some potentially toxic, and undergo multiple surgeries. The number of people developing Crohn’s has been rapidly increasing over the past few decades, especially amongst children.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease can include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea and lack of energy.

How does diet play a role?

A Western diet (low in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, while high in omega-6 fatty acids) may increase your risk for developing Crohn’s disease.

University of Alberta Ethics ID: Pro00090125 30

What are the risk factors?

Definite risk factors for Crohn’s are currently not known, but having a family member with Crohn’s, as well as your dietary habits, may increase your risk. In a large study of firstdegree relatives of Crohn’s patients, we found that having a so called "leaky gut” (measured by a sugar absorption test) also increases the risk of developing Crohn’s disease.

Principal Investigator: Dr. L. A. Dieleman

Why is this study important?

Who is needed for this study?

We will study methods to possibly reduce leaky gut, and thus developing Crohn’s disease, through a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids combined with eating specific fibers. When a gut is “leaky,” bacteria and toxins can enter the bloodstream, and possibly trigger an immune response such as Crohn’s disease.

If you are a first degree relative (parent, sibling or child) of a patient diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, we are interested in recruiting you for this study.

Participants must be healthy individuals between the ages of 15 and 50. Please contact us for further details.

To learn more about the study, contact Reem and Simona at 780492-0019

What does this study involve?

University of Alberta Ethics ID: Pro00090125

A 6 week dietary intervention guided by a Registered Dietitian combined with daily intake of prebiotic fiber (oligofructose enriched inulin) or placebo (maltodextrin).

Principal Investigator: Dr. L. A. Dieleman 31