The Cascade, Volume 33, Issue 05

MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

Valuing liberal arts since 1993

11

WHY THE LIBERAL ARTS MATTER

9

HEALTHIER SELFTALK

14

Q&A: IZZY HERNANDEZ

22

OSCARS RECAP

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

Editor-in-Chief

Kiara Okonkwo kiara@ufvcascade.ca

Business Manager

Marie-Ange Routier marie-ange@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager Sherryl Agingu sherryl@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Catherine Campbell cat@ufvcascade.ca

Creative Director

Gabriela Gonzalez gabriela@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor

News Editor

Culture Editor

Jr. News

Sports Editor

Copy Editor

Arts Editor

Opinion Editor

Darien Johnsen darien@ufvcascade.ca

Elyssa English elyssa@ufvcascade.ca

Jeffrey Kennett jeffrey@ufvcascade.ca Anna McCausland anna@ufvcascade.ca

Feature & Cover Illustrator

Eseniia Bondar eseniia@ufvcascade.ca

Rachel Tait rachel@ufvcascade.ca Sky Terrones sky@ufvcascade.ca Cassie Williams cassie@ufvcascade.ca Natalia Toscano Murua natalia@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Design Manager Mehak Narang mehak@ufvcascade.ca

Digital Media Assistant

Illustrator

Snapshot Illustrator

Illustrator

Dong Ho

Iryna Presley

May Beeney

NEWS 3 ............News Briefs 3 ............SUS election results 4 ............Meet UFV’s new library archivist 5 ............Is “The Big One” coming?

6 ............Lenore Newman on Canadian food technology

OPINION 7,8,9,10 ..Snapshots 7 ............The Environmentalist: recharge in nature 7-8 .........Thoughts on self-help 8 ............Can Abbotsford be fun?

9 ............Talking nicer to ourselves 10...........Five years since COVID-19

Natasha Zilcosky

Photographer

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Columnist

Faby Cruz Alderete

FEATURE

Staff Writer

Varsity Writer

11-13 ......The value of an arts degree

Staff Writer

Videographer

Josh Sulpico

Prati Kapoor Gauri Sethi

Veronica Powell

Caitlyn Carr

Shayla Kirby Eddy Rubi

Distributor

Kirat Dhami

CONTRIBUTORS Kara Dunbar Amelia Lutz Rajdeep Kaur Aaron Levy

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

SPORTS 14 ...........Cascade Q&A: Izzy Hernandez 14-15 .....MVB falls to U of C 15 ...........End of men’s basketball season 16...........Teeing up UFV Golf 16...........Huskies stun WVB at quarter-finals

INSTAGRAM.COM THECASCADEUFV TIKTOK CASCADE_FY Volume 33 · Issue 05 Room S2111-33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC,V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper and alternative press for the Fraser Valley. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting and is overseen by The Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority.The Cascade is published every other Wednesday with a print circulation of 800 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved

by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief and the corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length and will not print any articles or be a platform for any contributor or contractor who has shared racist, sexist, homophobic, or libellous content online in any form. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

The Cascade is published on the traditional, unceded territory of the Stó:lō peoples. We are grateful to be able to work and learn on this beautiful land.

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CULTURE 16...........Campus Fashion: thrifting challenge 16...........Cascade Kitchen: romanticizing SPAM 18 ...........Study Break 19 ...........Freedom to Read at UFV 19-20 .....Save money while travelling

ARTS 20 ..........The Monkey: humour or horror?

21...........Review: So Close to What?

21-22 .....Selena Gomez’ newest breakup ballad 22 ..........Unpack the Oscars 23 ..........Book Talk: May Sarton 23 ..........CIVL Charts & Shuffle

Editorial //

Consume good news!

Welcome to The Cascade, your source of news, culture, and student life at the University of the Fraser Valley.

I decided recently to be politically engaged. If the world is going to go to shit, I’m going to know why.

Between classes, my work at The Cascade, preparing for graduation, and witnessing the rise of facism, I’ve been feeling a little worse for wear. Which only makes me relish in the small moments; like this past Thursday when I was sitting at an outside table on the Green with a couple of classmates, blocking the sun from my eyes.

March, may you bring more goodness.

Some goodness was also found in UFV’s panel for International Women’s Day. Although there was a lot of talk of “strength” and “resilience” — feminist buzzwords that kind of lose their meaning — I couldn’t help but see disparities in the experiences of each of the women. How so much of who and how they came to be, as strong and resilient as they each were, depended not only on their self-belief and agency, but also on where and who they came from. I left that panel thinking more about the power of networks, support, and community … secretly wishing I was a nepo baby.

While the daily news and media cycle rages on, our bi-weekly pages are full of stories that for the most part, will not send you head first into a world ending spiral. If anything, this little campus paper is laced with hope and humanism.

On page 6, find an interview with the Food and Agriculture Innovation Research Chair, Dr. Lenore Newman, who sees UFV’s potential in leading food technology as limitless. In our Opinion section, beginning on page 7, you will find some recommendations for local hikes in the area by resident environmentalist, Fabiola Cruz Alderete.

Our Sports section is bursting with student athlete interviews. We wrap up the men’s and women’s basketball seasons, and on page 14, our favourite Peruvian, Sky S. Terrones, gets up close and personal with men’s basketball guard Ismael Hernandez.

Our featured story for this issue, found on page 11, challenges the stigma around liberal arts degrees — a noble and financially sound education and career path!

Our Copy Editor, Cassie Williams, isn’t letting the noise bog down her journey into the world of literary publishing, and you shouldn’t either.

If you need something to look forward to, head over to page 19, where Staff Writer Gauri Sethi outlines some practical tips for travelling as a student. With the end of semester approaching, now could be a good time to book a local, post-exam trip with friends.

For those who’d rather escape in the comfort of their own home, our Arts in Review section offers up some content for your consumption with a Cascade seal of approval. Unless you’re Caitlyn Carr, reviewing the latest Stephen King’s adaption, The Monkey (2025), on page 20.

Thank you for reading and supporting your campus paper! As independent media continues to be bought out by billionaires and eaten up by conglomerates (did you read our feature last issue?) student papers largely remain alternative and independent. So, if you have something to share, we’d like to hear about it.

Kiara Okonkwo

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

news@ufvcascade.ca News Editor — Rachel Tait

NEWS

N E W S

B R I E F S

INTERNATIONAL //

NATIONAL //

Venezuelan naval escalates tension at Guyana’s border

Trump delays tariffs again

On Mar. 1, a Venezuelan Coast Guard patrol ship entered Guyana’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and wrongly stated that Guyana’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO) was on Venezuelan territory.

Guyana promptly made a formal complaint, referencing the 1899 border agreement designated by the Washington Treaty of Arbitration, which established ownership of each territory.

The disputed territory, known as the Essequibo region, is rich in resources and highly sought after

by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who would benefit from the oil.

President Mohamed Irfaan Ali contacted Guyana’s allies and partners — the UK, France, U.S., Regional Security System (RSS), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) — and has been met with support. He remained firm on his stance against Venezuela’s actions, issuing an official statement.

“We will continue to pursue diplomatic solutions, but we will not tolerate threats to our territorial integrity. Our security and foreign affairs teams are fully engaged, and we are closely monitoring all developments. I want to assure the people of Guyana that your Government is acting with diligence and resolve.”

On Mar. 6, United States President Donald Trump once again delayed the 25 per cent tariffs on certain Mexican and Canadian goods until Apr. 2, 2025.

On Feb. 1, 2025, Trump signed the order to impose tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, claiming that this would prevent “illegal migration” and opioid smuggling across the borders of the U.S. The tariffs were originally supposed to begin Mar. 4. On Mar. 3, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made an official statement about the retaliatory tariffs.

“Canada will, effective 12:01 a.m. EST tomorrow, respond with 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion of American goods – starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days’ time.”

However, a statement by Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister of finance and intergovernmental affairs, now shows that circumstances have changed.

“The United States has agreed to suspend tariffs on CUSMA-compliant exports from Canada until April 2. As a result, Canada will not proceed with the second wave of tariffs on $125 Billion of U.S. products until April 2, while we continue to work for the removal of all tariffs.”

SKY S. TERRONES GAURI SETHI

BC // INTERNATIONAL //

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg found deceased On the morning of Feb. 26, actress Michelle Trachtenberg, 39, was found dead in her apartment in Manhattan, New York; she was officially declared deceased on site by the New York Police Department (NYPD). No foul play is suspected and Trachtenberg’s family has refused an autopsy due to religious reasons.

Her cause of death has officially been ruled as “undetermined,” with Trachtenberg’s death coming months after she underwent a liver transplant. According to friends of Trachtenberg, the star had recently been struggling with a variety of health problems and had spent time in the hospital.

Trachtenberg was largely known for her role as Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS) (1997-2003). Other work included Ice Princess (2005) and Gossip Girl (2007-2012).

Trachtenberg’s former co-stars have voiced their grief online over the star’s sudden death. BTVS co-star, James Marsters, also shared his thoughts on her passing.

“She died much too young, and leaves behind scores of people who knew and loved her.”

CAITLYN CARR

Horn thief on the loose On Feb. 22, a vintage train horn was stolen from Prince George’s Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum. The Nathan M5 Airchime Train Horn was manufactured in Vancouver, along with the train it was attached to, in the 1950s.

The staff hoped to remove the horn after getting a tip from a worried citizen that the horn may be stolen, but it proved too difficult due to the rusted nails holding it in place. When staff returned the next day with proper equipment, the horn was gone. This isn’t the first horn theft to be reported.

According to Prince George Citizen News, two other train horns were stolen last year.

The B.C. artifact is worth more than the $5,000 it would cost to replace it as Brian Wich, Park Manager of Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum told CBC. “This particular one is quite rare and was made locally here in B.C., and that’s not the kind of [horn] that you can find anymore.”

SUS //

SUS 2025 elections report Results, concerns, and recommendations JEFFREY KENNETT On the morning of Feb. 28, UFV’s Student Union Society (SUS) released their annual election report via a public zoom conference. Unopposed candidate Bilal Faisal Faheem was elected as SUS President with 614 ballots, or 76 per cent of the vote, while also receiving 192 spoiled ballots and 184 abstentions.

Additionally, Taj Sharma was elected Vice President Internal (VPI) with 46 per cent of the vote, Gurpreet Singh was elected Vice President External (VPE) with 58 per cent of the vote, and Eeman Kaur was elected Vice President Students (VPS) with 48 per cent of the vote.

The 2025 election saw a slight decrease of voters, with a total of 990 votes compared to 2024’s 1100 votes.

There were also 15 complaints filed over the election, nine of which involved campaigning violations.

Eight Student Representatives At-Large were elected, making the sum number of candidates for this year 15, as two applicants were not accepted as candidates due to not meeting the eligibility of the election rules.

2024’s election results had five more candidates for a sum of 20 after two removals; the highest total number of candidates in the last five years, including three candidates each for the VP internal and external positions.

In 2024, the UFV Abbotsford Question

ANNA MCCAUSLAND

Courtesy of UFV Student Union Society

and Answer Session brought in a commendable 70-90 people, the biggest turnout of any event during the election cycle. This year, the date of the Question and Answer Session was scheduled during reading break on Feb. 20 and had a “low turnout.”

SUS recommended that future rules, policies, and by-laws include that a student must attend, at minimum, one full semester at UFV before being eligible to run in the election. SUS also suggested that bylaws be put in place pertaining to who can speak to the Electoral Officer (EO) about the election during the nomination and review period.

Communication with the EO was addressed again within the general recommendations, noting that they are not required to be available 24/7. The hours worked by the EO in 2023 were between two to eight hours a week.

During the 2025 election, EO Claire Cook often worked 12 hour days, sometimes 29 hours in a row.

Another recommendation written by Cook is that the organization should eventually consider externally hiring additional EOs in “several years time,” stemming from the desire to protect permanent staff members from a “paralyzing” work environment after the election’s conclusion.

“This should be explored so that the current Electoral Officer … doesn’t have to endlessly endure the inevitable condescending, patronizing disrespect and intimidation that naturally accompanies the position.”

Other general recommendations included the creation of a feedback form for candidates, having more informed infographics in collaboration with the SUS marketing department, and to have more clarity with regard to campaigning and the election process.

Based on the feedback gathered during this year’s election, the report also suggested exploring the logistics of The Cascade being more involved in future elections.

Current SUS President, Jayden Hovey, explained that due to the increased demand for reporting on this year’s election process, coverage might be expanded from solely that of the impartial SUS marketing team, as per current policy.

“Discussions on how that can change will likely belong to the new executive team once they take office in May, and will be at the discretion of the SUS Board of Directors.”

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

NEWS UFV //

Library Archivist speaks on new position at UFV Archiving UFV’s past for the future generations RACHEL TAIT Kendra Long works at UFV as an associate university librarian and archivist.

Little is known about the university archive at UFV, but Kendra Long, a recent addition to UFV’s library team, spoke with The Cascade about her position and the current projects she is working on.

Long began working at UFV in September 2024. She revealed that she moved to Canada specifically for this job, saying it was an ideal opportunity for her. “[It’s] a smaller school that is really enthusiastic about its students and supporting them.”

Long did not always want to be a librarian and has worked various jobs in the past: she originally wanted to be a diplomat before majoring in film. However, due to a lack of job stability, she changed her career.

Long recalled that it was her mother, a public librarian of 40 years, who encouraged her to become one. In 2019, she graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MS) at Simmons University in Boston.

After graduating, she wanted to become a film archivist, but soon changed her mind as this particular field was exceedingly specialized and not much work was available.

Long explained that her role as a university archivist is fairly new at UFV. “I’m the first university archivist the

school has had … it’s a position a lot of people have pushed for, for a very long time. And I’m really appreciative that they were able to make the case that the position needs to exist.”

She went on to explain some of the duties that come with her new role.

“My job is to collect the history of the school to the best of my ability.”

Long mentioned what constitutes items that can be archived.

“The phrase we use in archives a lot is records of enduring value. It’s the stuff that 10, 15, 40 years down the line people will still want to refer back to, that is of significant use to researchers, and to anybody with a passing interest in history.”

She also said that the archive is still a work in progress and pointed out that an important part of creating an archive is their collections policy. This determines what they archive, outlines their priorities and takes into account what is important to the students, faculty, and staff at the university.

Long explained that there is more to her work than archiving.

“I feel like a big part of my job is being an ambassador for the concept of archives.”

Right now, UFV has both a digital and physical archive collection, including a specific collection for photos. All physical collections are housed in the Heritage Collection, in room G244, on the second

Photo by Rachel Tait floor of the Abbotsford university library.

Anyone wishing to visit the archive must book an appointment.

Long said that photos are one of the most common items she archives. She is currently working on a digital photo archive for the university, collecting as many items as she can to show the history of the campus. Long believes that some of the most important photos in the archive collection are the ones from the last 50 years.

“You get to see all the specific courses and also degrees that the school has offered; the school has changed so much since the 70s.”

Long said that students tend to think of only their experiences at UFV and forget that the campus can dramatically change. Her goal is to retain as much of those experiences as she can through archiving. She mentioned that the student newspapers are a great way to show what students were thinking and feeling when Photo courtesy of the University of the Fraser Valley © they were attending university. She hopes 4

to preserve as many of these types of experiences as possible.

One of the challenges she has experienced is being an outsider. Long explained that she came from a different country and with different life experiences. However, she also believes these are an asset for archiving because she comes to the work with fresh eyes and perspectives.

Long added that what she finds most rewarding about her job is helping people find what they need.

“I want more student involvement. We do the LIBT [library] program. We do tours with the students. I would really love to continue to grow that relationship.

I think it’s a great way for library tech students to see what libraries are.”

Long spoke of her long-term goals for the archive.

“I want as much stuff to get in front of as many eyeballs as possible.”

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

NEWS BC //

Is B.C. at risk of a catastrophic earthquake?

UFV professor shares his insight regarding the “Big One” SKY S. TERRONES Steven Marsh is an associate professor in geoscience at UFV. On Monday, Mar. 3, a 4.1 magnitude quake hit Vancouver and Victoria at 5:02 a.m. This marks the third earthquake in 10 days following the Feb. 21 4.7 magnitude quake near Sechelt and the Feb. 24 5 magnitude quake 182 kilometres west of Port Alice. As the looming threat of “The Big One” hangs over B.C., The Cascade reached out to Steven Marsh, associate professor of geoscience and soon-to-be professor emeritus, to delve into the

He added that there was a good chance that something significant could happen within the next 75 years, but whether it occurs within that time frame remains unknown.

“It could be next week, or it could be 75 years from now. So, what do you do?”

Marsh explained the basics of how to prepare for and deal with such an event if it happens in our lifetime. People should have enough non-perishable food and water to live comfortably for 4-5 days.

As soon as the shaking starts, ducking and taking cover under a desk may prevent injury from falling debris. Once the shaking stops, it’s best to move to a safer location. Marsh also recommended people keep shoes under their beds to help protect their feet.

“If you have an earthquake during the night, things fall, break, and if you don’t have any shoes, you’re going to cut your feet. I mean, you could. You may not.”

Despite these general recommendations, Marsh observed that risk assessment changes with everyone, whether that’s location, gender, or even occupation.

Medicine and pets are other elements to consider. He recalled one of his lessons on the matter.

“I taught a course a couple of times at [the] fourth-year level [about] dealing with natural hazards in North America, and a lot of that is understanding the risk to individuals. Risks will vary from person to person.”

Marsh advised owning an earthquake kit, though he also stressed people should create their own kit instead of overspendUSGS pic ing on one.

seismic zone.

Marsh has been teaching at UFV for around 33 years and created the popular course “Natural Hazards and Hollywood” 17 years ago. He commented on the likelihood of the “Big One” and the slim chance that we can precisely predict it.

“We don’t know how often those things occur because we don’t have enough of a timeline. The Big One’s off the coast.

It depends on whose research you look at; they could happen anywhere from 300 to 600 years apart. The last one was 325 years ago, which means we’re in the recurrence interval, but will it happen?”

“You should not go out and spend a thousand dollars on an earthquake kit ...

Build it yourself … I haven’t. I probably should.”

Marsh noted that while the “Big One” is a source of concern, other fault lines pose a potentially greater threat, as they are closer to the Fraser Valley community. He specifically mentioned the fault lines near the bases of Sumas Mountain and Vedder Mountain.

“Those fault lines could create a moderate earthquake [that] could be more significant in the local community than the ‘Big One’ that they always talk about occurring off the shore.”

When asked about UFV’s plan of action if there were to be a strong earthquake, he said that while there is a plan, it hasn’t been effectively shared.

“There is a preparedness plan.

[However,] it’s not as well distributed, not as well communicated.”

Ultimately, Marsh believes that what gets one prepared is experience, and as much as plans are made, the future is uncertain.

He shared the case of a girl who, against all odds, had coincidentally experienced the Northridge earthquake on Jan. 17, 1994, in Southern California, with a magnitude of 6.7. Then, exactly one year later, on Jan. 17, 1995, she lived through the Kōbe Earthquake when it struck Japan with a magnitude of 6.9.

“You never know when it’s going to happen. You plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

NEWS Canada //

“Sky’s the limit” for Canada’s food production How food technologies can transform Canada into a global agricultural leader

Photo courtesy of the University of the Fraser Valley ©

PRATI KAPOOR Dr. Lenore Newman is the director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley, an associate professor in the School of Land Use and Environmental Change, and a lead researcher on the future of food. She is an award-winning author and holds multiple positions, including research chair in food and agriculture innovation.

In a recent interview with The Cascade, Dr. Lenore Newman shared insights into her latest panel report, The Next Course, on atypical food production and its implications for Canada’s food security. Commissioned by the Council of Canadian Academies, the report explores how emerging technologies can shape the future of food production in Canada.

One of the main ideas behind Newman’s report is rooted in the goal of boosting Canada’s food security. As a northern country with restricted growing seasons, Canada is interested in controlled environments like greenhouses. Additionally, maintaining a global standing is a key priority.

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“We see it as a need to be competitive with the rest of the world and to compete nationally or internationally with other countries to be an agricultural superpower.”

For Newman, among the many technological advancements, advanced controlled environments stand out. These include hydroponics, LED lighting, and controlled atmosphere to optimize plant growth indoors. Another is precision fermentation, which involves using yeast and bacteria to produce protein and fats.

Newman mentioned that genetic technologies, such as modifying cornstarch to make corn, are also contributing to the sector’s improvement. They will also help refine policies for a sustainable future without compromising producers’ livelihoods.

Aside from these, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are also poised to play significant roles. However, Newman suggested that the full potential of AI is yet to be explored. Some current applications include using AI to help maximize land use, assist in crop selections, create a

virtual farm, and experiment with a variety of crops under different stresses.

“It’s early days, but it’s a really interesting area, especially when coupled with things like automation [and] precision farming.”

Despite Canada doing well in agriculture, Newman believes more funding in the sector, academic research, and industry support are needed to take the lead globally. She also advocated for a stronger and more cohesive national strategy.

“Other major countries have a national food security strategy, a national agriculture strategy, and we don’t [have] quite as much. All the provinces have their own strategies, and there’s a little bit of national strategy, but not to the same degree.”

Despite persisting challenges like climate change and high land costs, updating and changing policies can accelerate food security. These updates include simplifying regulations and ensuring they align with technologies that help farmers adapt easily. Additionally, providing fast Wi-Fi to all rural areas is essential, given that modern technology relies on

internet connectivity.

“We need to make sure that our regulatory environment reflects the technology.”

At the university level, the Food and Agriculture sector has successfully secured funding from diverse sources, including federal government bodies, industry partners, and organizations like Genome Canada. Despite research being expensive, UFV is thriving in the agricultural sector.

“Agriculture is one of our keystones …

So, we are trying to grow as rapidly as we can [with] our offerings and to be training people in new and exciting agricultural technologies. The sky’s the limit for UFV in this field, and I think we’re going to be doing some really neat things.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Newman envisions a future where Canada produces food all year round, reducing its dependency on imports and stamping its presence globally as one of the top three agricultural countries.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

VOL. 33 // ISSUE 05

OPINION

opinion@ufvcascade.ca Opinion Editor - Natalia Toscano Murua

Column //

The Environmentalist: recharge in nature

SNAPSHOT Turns out, the Oscars don’t suck if you watch them with friends

Illustrations by Iryna Presley This year I watched the Oscars for the very first time. Although I love films, I’m notorious for not keeping up with the latest movies, so the event never interested me that much. But then, a friend of mine here at The Cascade invited me to come along with themself and some friends to watch the Oscars at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver. We crammed ourselves into probably the tightest theatre seats imaginable up on the balcony and waited in anticipation for the red carpet to appear on the big screen. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I watched a stream of people I didn’t know march past my eyes in fancy gowns. But then, Ariana Grande sang the opening song and I was hooked.

By the end of the show, I was definitely ready to go because four hours is a long time for an award ceremony (thanks Adrien Brody for dragging it out even longer with your ridiculous acceptance speech), but I left feeling satisfied. It wasn’t necessarily because of the Oscars, but because I shared time in the theatre with friends and strangers experiencing a cultural phenomenon, collectively.

BY DARIEN JOHNSEN

FABIOLA CRUZ ALDERETE Welcome to The Environmentalist, your column for understanding the natural world. Today we will be talking about the benefits of enjoying nature and some cool hikes around UFV. When was the last time you went on a nature walk? But more importantly, do you remember how you felt? Oh, that lovely feeling of tranquility and peace — it actually has an explanation. According to a study by the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, people that spend two hours a week in green spaces are more likely to report good health and psychological well-being than those who don’t.

In Japan, the practice of shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing, is when you go to a green space and take a calm stroll. The main thing is to go slow and take in everything around you, listen to the birds chirping, observe the plants, and even touch moss. Could you believe that Japanese doctors even prescribe it to people? Studies have shown that shinrin-yoku improves sleep quality, mood,

ability to focus, and stress levels.

Moreover, research done by Harvard University shows that being in green spaces such as forests or even parks can lower the risk of chronic diseases, decrease blood pressure, and reduce cardiovascular risks. Additionally, being outdoors encourages physical activity, which brings even more health benefits.

Interacting with nature can help improve mental health, because it promotes mindfulness and positive emotions. Lastly, spending time outdoors can promote social interactions and community engagement, therefore increasing a sense of belonging and leading to lower rates of depression. Sounds nice, right?

So, let’s go outside! Encourage yourself to be more observant by thinking of what you like: maybe plants, lichens, fish, or flowers. For me it is birds, since looking for them is what gets my heart pitter-pattering. What does that look like for you?

Now, let’s highlight some of the best hikes (or walks) around Abbotsford and Chilliwack. On the east side of Abbotsford

we have some cool options such as the Lower and Upper Ambidextrous Trail, the McKee Peak from Lower Sumas Mountain Park or via McKee Road, the Lazy Boy, Tools of the Trade, and Ranch Climb Loop, the Downes Bowl Trail, and of course, the Mill Lake loop. Moving onto Chilliwack, one nice stroll is the Rotary Trail along the Vedder River or around the Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve.

Some other hikes are the Lookout Loop Trail, the Thaletel Trail, the Pixtel to Canyon Loop, and one of my favourites, Teapot Hill via Goat Trail. Remember to be safe; take a fully charged phone, water, and some snacks. I also recommend using the app AllTrails to find your way around.

My mom sometimes says that if we want environmental change we have to appreciate what surrounds us, and what better way to admire it than out there.

Let’s not forget what the Lorax once said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.”

So, let’s care.

Teamsamuraispain, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Community //

Helping each other; helping ourselves Why community is stronger than self-help AMELIA LUTZ Self-help has become an appealing cultural phenomenon that aims to help us cope with a world that is depleting us left and right. I see two major factors in our culture that are driving humans into despair: isolation and hyperindividualism.

It is expected that we would want to pick up a book that suggests it can make our lives better. However, I see shortcomings

in self-help’s promise to its readers.

In order for self-help to actually help, the reader must assume that the help they require is a result of the self, and therefore, it can come from the self. I will not dispute that in some cases, the self is responsible. For example, in those who deal with negative self talk, a self-help book could be a catalyst to better inner dialogue.

We may reach out for help, including the

latest self-help book, for a wide range of reasons. Some may include mental health issues, a desire to create better habits, and the pursuit for a better lifestyle. The selfhelp industry has managed to generate billions of dollars by selling self-improvement methods. I take the rise of self-help culture during this time of deep political crises and general unrest to mean that CONTINUED ON PAGE 08 7

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OPINION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 07 for many people, external factors may be responsible for a person requiring help to get back to a place of mental wellness.

Our society has become increasingly divided and polarized in these times of deep political crises. According to some scholars, the polarization is in large part due to social media, which is helping to isolate us further into the culture we live in. In my view, our culture is one that values the success of the individual over the community. Furthermore, it devalues the role of the community in an individual’s life, and this hyperindividualism has contributed to widespread isolation.

Loneliness is skyrocketing—the World Health Organization declared it a global public health concern in 2023. We spend hours everyday on social media, using it to build our personalities, rather than building ourselves through interpersonal relationships. I see the notion of self-made

success on magazine covers, with little mention of how the community or the system one lives under helps to make one’s success. It is no surprise to me that within the same culture that praises the self-made, the kind of help that is becoming popular is self-help.

While self-help books are intended to contribute to people leading better lives, the socio-political reasons driving people to such books must be challenged.

Despite the title of the genre, self-help may require its readers to lean on the author of the book, not the self. What if, instead of leaning on the authors of such books, we started leaning on each other?

Interpersonal relationships have been found to be nourishing and healing for those battling mental health issues.

Building these real-life relationships would not only help our mental well-being, but it could help us spend less time on isolating activities like using social media.

Furthermore, it could help us create

bridges between each other in a deeply politically divided society. It is time for us to move beyond books and instead lean on each other. Fostering interpersonal relationships may help us lift each other up, and challenge the elements of society that dare to separate us.

SNAPSHOT The sledding hill

Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade

Local //

Making Abbotsford more exciting: what the city needs Abbotsford thrives during the day, but at night it feels like the city hits a pause

GAURI SETHI Why does the fun in Abbotsford seem to disappear as soon as the sun goes down?

Known for its scenic beauty, Abbotsford falls behind in terms of entertainment.

Finding something fun to do in Abbotsford has been a constant dilemma for my friends and I. I’ve spent the past two years here and despite having a rich and diverse history and heritage, it does not compare to cities like Vancouver, Surrey, or Richmond when it comes to the fun factor. It’s surprising how hard it is to find something entertaining to do without surfing the internet for multiple hours.

From my perspective, someone who has recently moved to Abby would find it extremely difficult to do something fun in the vicinity, or find a place to connect and meet new people. Although we have bowling alleys and movie theatres, there is not much else to choose from. Imagine going to an arcade bar, a rage room, or even a trampoline park after your classes or work. Abbotsford needs places that cater more to youth, where we can have fun with friends and try something new to unwind. ​​Especially at night — it feels like the nightlife here is non-existent. There are no clubs or casinos, and many of the restaurants and bars close early. For example, Trading Post Eatery closes at 10 p.m. on weekdays.

I say there should be more places with live music, dance floors, and regular theme nights. It could make Abbotsford way more exciting and give people options 8

to go out and enjoy themselves without having to leave the city. I rely on public transport to travel from place to place, so I would love to have night markets, open mic nights, outdoor movie screenings, or more pop-up events that wouldn’t require me to travel for hours.

Nowadays, finding a comfortable place to hang out or work in Abbotsford can be extremely difficult even during weekdays — let alone weekends. I often find myself struggling to find places for a chill study session that stay open late after work, since I study full-time and work part-time. Many bakeries and cafes in Abbotsford close between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. People who are not free to go out before these times are left with no options. I’d like something like a 24-hour study cafe and a dedicated study space like Cozy Lab in Vancouver. It could be a game-changer for Abbotsford’s downtown, giving students and remote workers a quiet, comfortable place to focus, grab a coffee, and stay productive at any time of day whether it be solo or with friends or co-workers.

There are also only a few late-night fast-food places you can choose from, and it feels like there aren’t many options if you want something different. I feel like a night out in Abbotsford would be much better with ramen joints, taco trucks, or perhaps a couple of dessert places like Breka to deal with those midnight cravings.

We have great local businesses which are growing day by day, but we still have a long way to go. Just think of not having

Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The Cascade to go outside of Abbotsford for a nice night out or not having to spend a number of hours trying to figure out where to go that will be open when you want, or need, to leave the house. Imagine a new Abby where clubs, gaming lounges, and aesthetically pleasing cafes keep the party going well after dark!

In simpler words, making Abbotsford more exciting isn’t just about more entertainment or new establishments; it’s about giving people more reasons to actually enjoy where they live. As a resident of Abbotsford, I think it has the potential to be more than just a great place to settle down and survive — it could be a great place to truly live.

Illustrations by Iryna Presley The snow of the season falling and melting within a matter of two weeks got me longing for old snow. Winter never felt lonely at the sledding hill across from school. That hill was my first lesson in community, and unspoken agreements.

Climb up the hill on the edge, ride down the middle, encourage the scared little kids, laugh with the stranger you just collided into as you help each other stand.

That hill held snow in all its inconvenient beauty. Red noses, damp mittens, stinging eyes, and constant shrieking laughter. We don’t get snow like we used to. Most of the winter months, that hill remains quiet and sparsely populated as the rain makes its grass a slippery risk. Sledding days are now few and far between, but they are not gone. When the snow falls, you will see suburban children trekking down the street with sleds carried high, ready for a day at the hill.

BY KARA DUNBAR

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

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OPINION Advice //

SNAPSHOT The one time I cared about a hockey game

Illustrations by Iryna Presley It feels like I’m drowning in a sea of anti-Canadian rhetoric. From Donald Trump’s tariffs to his ridiculous claim that Canada will become the United States’ (U.S.) 51st state, I sometimes wonder if his hatred of Canada started because he lost Roll Up the Rim or something. As silly as I find Trump’s ideas, they have undoubtedly reignited Canadian pride — a prime example of this being the final game of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off on Feb. 20.

Call me a fake Canadian, but I’ve never cared much for hockey. Sure, the fights are fun to watch, but I don’t normally care which team lands on top. Still, when watching the game, I understood that it was a symbol for the growing tension between Canada and the U.S. This fact was highlighted when Trump addressed our prime minister as “Governor Trudeau” while voicing his support for the American team.

Then, to the delight of Canadians everywhere, Ontario-born Connor McDavid scored in overtime, thus securing Canada’s victory over the U.S. I was overjoyed. Not only did the victory solidify Canada’s strength and identity, but it also proved that hockey is, and always will be, our sport.

If your inner voice is discouraging you, here are some tips on what to do If you constantly down-talk yourself, you are not alone; here’s my advice NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA Negative self-talk is a parasite that feeds off your self esteem and deprives you of it. I know this first hand; I used to struggle with the negative thoughts that ran unchecked in my mind. Those thoughts made any situation twice as difficult, because I always found a way to discourage my intentions and punish my own actions. If you often find that the first person to scold you after you did something — whatever it might have been — is you, then you might be engaging in negative self-talk.

Self-directed negative comments are something a lot of people experience.

Generally, it’s normal for people to have an inner voice that narrates one’s thoughts or actions, but it’s when this inner dialogue starts spewing self-sabotaging comments that the trouble begins. The first step to eradicating or diminishing it, is to acknowledge it. If you identify that you are engaging in negative self-talk, that’s one step in the right direction because it enables you to address it. I suggest stopping your train of thought by questioning: who are you benefitting when you downtalk yourself like that? One thing is for sure: you are not benefitting anybody by generating self-sabotaging thoughts, including yourself.

Completely eliminating those thoughts is challenging, so it’s okay if you don’t

get it on your first attempt, don’t beat yourself up over it. My advice is to tackle the thoughts that trigger your negative self-talk, and for that to work, you need to identify what thoughts trigger them. For example, when I discovered that I had a tendency of comparing myself to others, I had to improve my thought process about how I perceived others and myself.

I felt that what I did was never as good as what others did, and constantly belittled my progress because I was convinced it wasn’t nearly enough to achieve great things like them.

To stop the negative self-talk, I had to learn that comparing myself to others isn’t fair for anybody. Every single person is different, and so are their paths. This meant that comparing myself to others did nothing to celebrate the progress I was showing in my own way. Identifying this helped me see that my progress was good, and it inherently helped me diminish any thoughts telling me I wasn’t doing good enough.

Another big part of dealing with negative self-talk is being compassionate with yourself. Remember that nobody is perfect, and that everybody stumbles and falls at times. I invite you to think about it this way: if someone you cherish made a mistake and then started beating themselves up over it, would you encourage that behaviour? If you’d reassure that person that mistakes happen and that it’ll

be okay, then why not do the same thing for yourself?

You are just as worthy of compassion as that cherished person. Cherish yourself. Allow yourself to learn from any past mishaps and exercise patience and empathy. You know the rough circumstances you’re going through better than anyone, so that makes you the most qualified person to recognize them and extend empathy toward yourself. Each time you replace a negative thought with an empathic and compassionate one, reward yourself for it. It’ll help establish positive thought patterns in place of old negative ones.

The world of mental health is vast and complex. There are so many things to keep track of, so many things to learn, so many things to try. I’m a big advocate for mental health, as I’ve been on a mental well-being journey for several years, and embarking on it saved my life. I believe everyone should do their best to practice it within their possibilities, because if we all take care of ourselves, then that’s a world of people better taken care of. Stopping negative self-talk might take several tries, and it may feel extremely challenging to overcome, but there’s no better moment to start than the present. I’m counting on you to take care of your unique and worthy self!

BY CAITLYN CARR

Creator: Pablo Peiker Ullisses Soares Rafael Folk Mykael Sobreira Copyright: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 9

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OPINION COVID-19 //

The virus that took the world by storm Five years of COVID-19 CAITLYN CARR Some people can’t believe it’s already been five years since lockdown, whereas others can’t believe it’s only been five years. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, there’s one thought I’m sure most of us have had at some point: what the hell was that?

In March 2020, the lethal and highly contagious COVID-19 virus sent us all into hibernation. That month, B.C. reported almost 1,000 cases since its first occurrence in the province on Jan. 27, 2020. By the end of the year, those numbers would jump to over 50,000 cases and 901 deaths in B.C. alone.

Everyone was advised to stay home as much as possible: classes moved to Zoom and many people were either laid off or worked remotely from home.

My privilege lets me look back at this time through rose-coloured glasses. Both gas prices and emergency room waittimes went down and traffic was virtually non-existent. More importantly, people actually had time for their hobbies. As for me, when I wasn’t off on a quest for groceries, I was either playing The Sims 4 (2014) or enjoying the sunshine with a good book.

Still, the pandemic was undoubtedly a disaster. Nurses at the front lines were overworked, many businesses were forced to shut down, and substance use increased due to a nation-wide decline in mental health. And of course, there’s the long-term health effects (or long COVID) of those who had the virus, not to mention the countless lives lost.

Other than the hospital, I’d say one of the most stressful places to be was the grocery store. As the only non-immunocompromised person in my house, I enlisted in the war for toilet paper — a battle waged by hoarders. Shelves were emptied by panic-buyers, and the smell of Lysol in the aisles brought me hope that surfaces were being cleaned vigorously.

I practiced social distancing and stayed behind plexiglass barriers separating consumers and cashiers, all while being hyperaware of every cough and sneeze from nearby strangers. If I haven’t already convinced you of how seriously I took the pandemic, here’s one more precaution I followed: as soon as I got home, I threw all my clothes in the laundry and hopped in the shower.

Finally, in December 2020, the first shipment of vaccines for COVID-19 arrived in B.C. Imagine my relief.

Throughout the following year, Pfizer and Moderna became household names as the most commonly used vaccines for the 10

virus. By late 2024, these vaccines, along with Novavax, would be the only ones approved for use by Health Canada.

As soon as they were available to me, I powered through my fear of needles and booked an appointment. When I got to the Ag-Rec Centre, it looked like something out of a dystopian movie. Everyone wore face masks and we quietly followed arrows taped to the floor telling us where to line up, where to wait, and where to exit. I’d never seen anything so efficiently organized in my life.

Still, vaccines can only do so much. In July 2022, the virus finally caught up with me. For two weeks, I stayed in my room, only leaving to use the bathroom. As someone who was usually healthy until that point, the experience was unlike any I’d had before. I was instantly bombarded with cold sweats, fever, coughs, sneezes, and fatigue. My days were spent either sleeping or binge-watching the first three seasons of The Boys (2019-).

This spring marks five years since the pandemic took the world by storm.

According to B.C.’s most recent guidelines, we no longer need to show proof

of vaccination before entering public establishments, and mask mandates have only just been reintroduced to places like hospitals and assisted living facilities.

The mandate requiring those infected to self-isolate was also dissolved by Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, in November 2022. Still, while the virus is clearly on the back-burner, it’s definitely not gone. So far, Canada has reported 1,750 cases of COVID-19 and 904 deaths since August 2024.

Remnants of the pandemic can still be found: businesses that never took down their social distancing signs, people like me who still wear face masks, and rapid tests for when you think it’s just a cold, but what if? More than that, there’s a lingering fear of history repeating itself. From monkey pox to bird flu, there’s been no shortage of diseases that have had people worried about another pandemic, but I say we leave it to the experts to tell us when we should worry. In the meantime, wash your hands, cough into your elbow, and stay home if you’re sick. As for me, if we ever go into lockdown again, I’m buying a bidet.

SNAPSHOT What a sister is to me

Illustrations by Iryna Presley Having siblings is an indescribable experience. There’s no amount of words that can do it justice, you know?

My parents say that when my younger sister was born, the first thing I did was smack her and run away. In my defence, I was two-years-old, and probably jealous of her for getting so much attention. As kids, we were inseparable playtime buddies as well as mortal enemies. Because, what’s a sister without some good ol’ sibling rivalry? In all seriousness, I wouldn’t trade those memories, including the silly fights, for anything—it bonded us.

I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but one day the rivalry disappeared, and the inseparable bond remained. I realized how priceless having such a bond in my life is. I have no doubt in my heart that I am to her what she is to me: an unconditional supporter, role model, fashion advisor, mischief partner, meme dumper, travel buddy, life counsellor, best friend, and so much more. Even though we live thousands of kilometres apart, I think about her every single day. How couldn’t I? She’s the biggest blessing in my life.

This is for her.

BY NATALIA TOSCANO MURUA

Illustration by Eseniia Bondar / The Cascade

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FEATURE

features@ufvcascade.ca Features Editor — Darien Johnsen

BUILDING A

MORE HUMAN FUTURE

Liberal arts are a noble and invaluable pursuit; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise CASSIE WILLIAMS Every time I tell someone I’m an English major I’m met with the same question: “Oh, so you want to be a teacher?”

To which I politely respond each time, “No, actually I want to go into publishing. I want to be a book editor.”

Then comes the look of surprise mixed with a subtlety that reads: I didn’t know that was a thing.

This is a common experience for an arts student. Everyone wants to fit you into a box or talk down your degree.

Often without even meaning to—it just seems to be the natural reaction.

Maybe it’s a me thing, but this happens so much that I get to the point where I really do start to question if I’m even pursuing the right program.

Defending our choice as arts students is an exhaustive practice, but one that persists nonetheless. It’s just the way it is … Or is it?

I recently read a report from Strada Education Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on strengthening the gap between education and employment. The findings outlined how liberal arts majors fare in employment. Despite the common narrative that arts students will be jobless and face significant struggle securing stable employment and income following their post-secondary education, this report showed the opposite. In the long-term especially, arts students experience faster wage growth than any other major, with the top 25 per cent earning an average of $90,000 annually. Not bad for a field that’s been consistently put down for a lack of earnings.

Before we go further I want to make one point that I hope stays with you as you continue reading: art of all kinds, be it visual, performed, written, or academic, are fundamental to a society.

Think of what life would be like without artwork: books, movies, paintings, or music. These things colour our culture and our daily lives. So why are these fields so consistently undervalued?

Deisman explained how rather than limiting students to just one discipline, the humanities foster various skills which equip students for more than just one career path and better prepare them to navigate change.

intentional or not. Universities depend on their short-term goals and invest based on market and demand, which often leaves little focus on culture and humanities — even though studies show these majors fare exceptionally well in employment. According to Maclean’s, they are also generally more content with both their studies and careers.

“We’ve been hearing from employers for about the last 10 years, that the kinds of skill sets, understandings, and competencies that [arts majors] cultivate are increasingly in demand,” In an article from The New Yorker, The arts fields are he explained. “And I think it’s because titled: “The End of the English Major,” diminishing: fact or myth? the pace of social change has picked a Harvard University student, Saul Glist, offered his thoughts on the It’s not news that the arts have always up so much.” taken a backseat to science, math, and So if this is true, what are — or matter. technology; the field has always fallen aren’t — schools doing to support “The question we should be asking victim to the “myth of uselessness.” liberal arts education? is not whether the humanities have any Arts majors are constantly in danger At UFV there are currently 3,500 role in our society or the university in of being deemed obsolete without students enrolled in an arts program. fifty or a hundred years … It’s what any backing to the claim.

In a school that sees roughly 15,000 do investments in the humanities look Dr. Wade Deisman, associate dean students each year, 3,500 might not like—and what kind of ideal future of social sciences at UFV, explained seem terrible; but when you look at can we imagine?” the three myths surrounding the liberal the approximate percentage, that’s arts: the myth of uselessness, the myth only 4 per cent of all students. of abstraction (which is to say some- Why is this? thing that only exists as an idea), and Making no visible investments in the myth of unemployment. liberal arts creates a narrative, be it “People have attacked the liberal arts all the way along … [but] it’s shown in all of the academic research, that that uselessness is a myth,” Deisman emphasized.

If you’re at UFV, take advantage of the opportunities surrounding you.

For liberal arts students there is a plethora of experiences just waiting to be grabbed. Smaller classes are a

Turns out employers want liberal arts students. The skills arts majors amass throughout their education include problem solving, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and more — all of which are sought out by companies, especially when it comes to career advancement.

11

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2025

godsend rife with discussion, workshopping, and feedback, all of which can take you far. Find an internship or volunteer position in your desired field, connect with professors, get involved! In a world where you’re constantly being told why you won’t amount to anything, make things happen for yourself. Be vulnerable, continue taking risks, and above all else, stay curious.

In a report from the American Association of Colleges and Universities, written by Debra Humphreys and Patrick Kelly, earnings and career paths were studied in liberal arts.

“Majors in the humanities and social sciences—the so-called “liberal arts”—have become targets for special scrutiny and potential budget cuts.”

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program are going to find a job immediately, and they’re going to advance and make a ton of money … but the advantage that humanities graduates … have [is] a depth and breadth of knowledge and a set of skills that suits them very well to advance [to] a management position.”

Although it was first introduced in 1956, the AI phenomenon — and I use that word lightly — only rocked the world in the past couple years. As much as I’d like to ignore it, I couldn’t write about liberal arts without mentioning the so-called “greatest threat” they face. For the first time, those empty threats of becoming obsolete seemed real for a minute. Turns out it’s still not the case.

“The trail to studying truth and beauty must still be blazed; it can’t come from walking backward.”

Of course there are challenges, like any career. Oftentimes it can be difficult for arts students to land a job right out of university and this can be discouraging. However, while it may not happen right away, when it does these students are better suited to move up the ladder.

Dr. Heather McAlpine, UFV’s English department head and associate professor, is positive about the outlook for all humanities grads, be it liberal arts, literature, or history.

“The reputation is that students coming out of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) 12

“[I]f we no longer ascribe any intrinsic worth to the people who have meticulously crafted what we read, watch and enjoy, what does that say about how highly we think of the arts in society?”

(AI) tie into this?

As The New Yorker put it:

If you ask someone on the street, no.

If you ask anyone who has done even three minutes of research (or a quick Google search), yes.

arts, and exemplified how undervalued creativity is in our society. The strikers demanded higher royalties for screenwriters and safeguards from the integrated use of AI.

Cobi Timmermans is a UFV alumna Deisman reiterated this point, currently working in the school’s referencing the average educational Graphic + Digital Design department history of leaders. as a computer lab technician. She “When we look at the background shared how indispensable her BacheHarper’s Bazaar UK asked this in of people who are in leadership po- lor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree was and response to the strike. There were sitions, what we discover is about 60 how it opened her eyes to what she many questions surrounding the impliper cent of them have had some kind wanted to do. cations of it, but the overall message of education in the liberal arts.”

“The most valuable part was the was clear: People consume what I’m not sitting here trying to convince connections that I made with people artists create daily, but rarely think to you that you’ll make more as an arts like my professors and other artists appreciate the behind the scenes of it student than someone in pre-med; and the students; it really built me up all. chances are you won’t. But that’s not and gave me a sense of home and So how does artificial intelligence

Although this report was published over 10 years ago, we are living with the same challenges today. Arts fields are the first on the chopping block when it comes to cutting funds. The Canada Council for the Arts faced cuts of five to 10 per cent in April 2024, and McGill University announced in 2024 that they would be facing drastic budget cuts with the weight of these blows landing on their arts departments.

Queen’s University also had to reduce funding of arts programs in 2024 in response to budget deficits.

Is a career in the arts sustainable?

experience. There is such a wide range of disciplines that the job opportunities can sometimes be overwhelming. For example, if you’re majoring in English, there is no shortage of careers you could pursue, from journalist or writer to archivist or research analyst.

to say an arts degree has no value.

The difference that people can’t seem to comprehend is just because one makes more money, it shouldn’t take away value from the other.

When it comes to technology, liberal arts students may even have an advantage over STEM students in the job market — they can provide a humanistic perspective and think of how to look at things differently rather than following orders or a set procedure.

In a labour market that is being rapidly saturated with AI, liberal arts’ emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability is more vital than ever. Liberal arts majors are actually becoming more coveted in the face of overwhelming technological advancements. When you think about it, in a generation of technology and growing use of machine-thinking, isn’t it more important now than ever encouragement … art is so much your to be encouraging vulnerability and identity, I think it would have been prioritizing truly human skills? a different dynamic in a different On vulnerability, Deisman exdepartment [because] art is just who plained why it is the greatest asset that you are.” arts students possess.

Aside from the community it brought “We encourage that disposition her, Timmermans expressed how she toward curiosity, and that’s one of felt her degree prepared her for an the key things that makes liberal arts array of opportunities in the future. education so tremendously valued, “I think [my degree] has set me up because there’s that willingness to risk really well that I could go and try and be vulnerable. And without that anything and be able to do well in it risk to be vulnerable, growth doesn’t and continue growing. That’s [what] happen, and it isn’t as durable.”

I really liked about the program, you Deisman continued, explaining the get to build so many different skills importance of the strongest — and and then see what you love doing.” perhaps simplest — trait we hold when Staying devoted to humanism compared to machines.

One of the many beauties of getting an arts degree: the flexibility. Many Bachelor of Arts (BA) students go back to get graduate or other supplementary degrees which then boosts their earnings, and further diversifies their skill set. Another common trend “What is most revealing is that AI The Writers Guild of America West within these fields is people changing poses a threat to those core values that strike in 2023 was instrumental in careers, thereby expanding their opening our eyes to the value of the a humanistic liberal arts education

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degree and how she came to appre- you. Career opportunity and success come from you as an individual, not ciate it.

“Sometimes I thought that what I whatever program is written on your was studying wasn’t as important or degree. Sure, there are definitively as beneficial to the world. But I think more lucrative fields than others, but it’s so beneficial in a different way; no matter what field you decide on, it’s beneficial for our minds and souls, personal success is defined by much more. having art in community.”

Why liberal arts matter

protects by definition … The liberal “[He said] you’re smart enough to arts [are] devoted to humanism, and go into a STEM field, and that’s what AI is by definition, not human.” you should be pursuing. And I was The arts are unreplicable by ma- kind of like, ‘I am smart, and I don’t chines — at least not well. As long as want to do that.’ I think it’s fine to we remain devoted to humanism (a study things like history, philosophy, philosophical lens based on human and everything like that … [there] was interests that values individual po- a very consistent narrative that if you tential) and connection, we aren’t study the arts, you’re going to end up going away. Maybe I’m biased, but I unemployed and just this airy, useless don’t want to read robot literature. It’s person.”

lacking what the arts are at their core: Why does pursuing the studies human; flawed, full of grit, and real. you’re passionate about make you a “People are more hungry for that lesser individual? The tale of woeful connection,” Timmermans said on arts students has to be on its last page the integration of AI. “When I started by now. Personally, my arts degree my degree, I didn’t really know what has given me experiences and opporwas out there. I didn’t really know that tunities that I am convinced I would there was an arts community, and now have never had had I pursued that law I find that people are really looking degree. My decision to pursue English for each other and wanting to build has been reaffirmed daily through my classes and various experiences in the that scene.” field — and I’m only halfway through my degree.

Don’t fear working as a

barista forever

The stigma around arts students is slowly but surely dissipating. Turns out the skills you collect as a liberal arts student are in demand. Who would’ve thought? All my life I’ve known I wanted to pursue a career in English.

It was always what inspired me more than anything. However when I was in middle school I thought about going into law or forensic science because these were the careers I was told were “realistic” and “sustainable.” In other words, I wouldn’t be broke and untethered. It wasn’t until high school that I discovered editing: a career that was both in my desired field and practical. Even though I felt I’d found my calling, it bothered me that it still wasn’t seen as good enough to go into English.

There has been a reckoning in the arts world however, where we have started to see a shift in this narrative of the “useless liberal arts.” The idea that arts students are useless is an outdated one as the liberal arts have evolved from that stereotype and moved into a more engaged position in the world. Deisman commented on this movement:

A liberal arts education goes well beyond the studies; it is about becoming a more well-rounded individual. It provides an opportunity to think more in depth about society and exposes students to wider matters surrounding complexity, diversity, and change in the modern world. Above all else, the true value of this degree is that it does more than just educate us, it shapes us into who we are.

Growing up it was pushed on me that STEM and heavily academic degrees were the only noble pursuits as they created doctors, lawyers, and CEOs. I internalized these beliefs and suddenly writing and creating for a living seemed far away. In the past few years with the heavy integration of AI, BA students have been pushed McAlpine discussed this concept in even further down the ladder. But my terms of English students especially. passion for the field is stronger than ever and I believe this is the general “I think you grow a lot as a person consensus among arts students. if you study English literature, because “The liberal arts have shown them- you get to experience all these other selves to be particularly adept at cre- perspectives and these other whole ating a lifelong thirst for knowledge, lives … It helps you develop empafor understanding that curiosity … thy, and you can start to understand [and] that’s why they are the eternal broader themes around you in culture aquifer underneath [education]. and in other media, and just in life Because they feed [it] in a way that through the lenses that you develop.” renews people’s sense of reverence The arts and everything they emfor life,” Deisman expressed. body are the lifeblood of an interesting Those who study liberal arts look at and dynamic society. Because of art the world with more depth and nurture we live in a world filled with beauty an innate curiosity, one that can never and energy, one that inspires and be satisfied. Not only this, but the skill fulfills both our intellect and psyche. set arts students have is so adaptable I think Robin Williams said it best in that the jobs available to us are widely Dead Poets Society (1989): varied. We can still be CEOs. “[M]edicine, law, business, engiAt the end of the day there is no neering, these are noble pursuits and “right” direction, nor is there a “right” necessary to sustain life. But poetry, major. There is no guarantee that beauty, romance, love, these are what you will be successful no matter what we stay alive for.” studies you choose; that part is up to

“The stigma is based on an antiquated notion of where the liberal arts are. The liberal arts have always been evolving because their commitment is to engage with the world.”

Instead of acknowledging how underfunded and undervalued the arts are, society instead deters people from them with falsehoods of no money and wasted potential. I personally think pursuing a career you McAlpine shared a similar expe- love is the definition of achieving your rience to mine when she described full potential. a conversation she had with an old Timmermans explained her own guidance counsellor. internal struggles with pursuing her 13

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SPORTS

sports@ufvcascade.ca Sports Editor - Jeffrey Kennett

Q&A //

Cascade Q&A: Ismael Hernandez SKY S. TERRONES Basketball season may be over, but the fight goes on for our Cascades warriors, who keep up the good work on their way toward absolute dominion. You’ve seen him on the court and cheered him on from the stands — but who is this Pisces, second-year guard with mighty Spanish blood? The Cascade presents MBB’s number one and only Ismael Hernandez, better known as “Izzy,” by friends and fans in the Fraser Valley.

Has basketball always been in your life?

Izzy: Yeah, I’ve been playing for around 13 years … like 70 per cent of my life so far. Basketball and my life go hand in hand.

How did you start playing the sport?

Izzy: I was really tall when I was young so I started playing as a goalkeeper in soccer, and my parents were like, ‘This is not your sport, we’re going to put you in basketball’ [laughs].

Would you say that basketball chose you or that you chose basketball?

Izzy: That’s a good question … I would say 50/50. I looked for it, and then the sport made me stay, right?

What do you like most about the game?

Izzy: Probably making new friends and visiting new places … There are a lot of nice people around this country, and that’s one of the reasons why I stayed here. I love the people here; they’re like family to me now.

Do you enjoy playing Trinity? Is there some rivalry there?

Izzy: Yeah. I feel like the whole team has the same belief against Trinity that … Can I swear in this? Well, [that] we have to beat these [redacted]. We hate them. In pre-season [Matt Chapdelaine] was telling us a story that we gave ‘the cave’ [to] Trinity as a locker room [when] they were playing the men’s volleyball [team]. [When] they won they drew the Trinity logo on the whiteboard.

That stayed there till we played [Trinity] next time. It was like, ‘Hey, this is what they did, they didn’t respect you, and you guys gotta beat the shit out of them — be quiet, and — how do you say it? ‘Beat them, but no dejar

rastro (leave no trace).

What is it like dating another basketball player?

Izzy: It’s cool; we spend pretty much 98.9 per cent of our time together. It’s really nice having someone with whom you can share every day and all your thoughts.

Good and bad things … It’s really, really sick that she also plays the same sport, and we have beefs sometimes playing against each other … She’s part of why I’ve been putting up big numbers this season — my career highs and stuff — because she pushed me to go shoot with her in the mornings and be a better version of me.

Speed round time! Favourite fish?

Izzy: I’ll have to go with the shark because that’s also Charley [Arnold] — my girlfriend’s — favourite fish. It’s cool seeing how powerful it looks in the ocean and how every other fish moves out of the way when it’s coming.

Grandmother’s dish that you miss?

Izzy: Oh, my God, like all the food she makes is so, so yummy … but there’s one dessert she makes called tiramisu. Every time I go back, she asks me if I need some desserts. It’s lovely. She also makes Croquetas.

Stars or the moon?

Izzy: Moon.

Do you miss the language? Is Spanish something you can share with your team?

Izzy: Having Dario [Lopez] on the team makes me feel more like I’m back home … He’s from Madrid and we talk Spanish on a daily basis. We have some of our teammates speaking Spanish [too].

Are you teaching them how to insult the other players?

Izzy: Oh, yeah, they do know that. They know all that [laughs].

How would you describe Izzy outside of basketball?

Izzy: I’m just a normal guy who likes having fun doing what he does. And that if anybody needs help or is struggling with anything, they can come to me … I really [enjoy] helping people … that’s something I’m pretty good at. I wouldn’t say I give the best advice, but I’m a good listener.

Q&A has been edited for length and readability.

Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade

Volleyball //

Cascades bested by Dinos in play-in MVB season ends in best-of-three play-in series against University of Calgary SHAYLA KIRBY The UFV Cascades ended their season in a match against the University of Calgary (U of C) Dinos on Friday, Feb. 21 with a score of 3-1. The Cascades lost their bestof-three play-in series in two games at the Jack Simpson Gym in Calgary, Alberta.

Game 1 saw the Cascades fall 3-2 on Thursday night, followed by Friday night’s 3-1 loss. For Calgary, the win sent them into the Canada West quarter-finals against the University of Alberta (U of A) Golden Bears.

The Cascades cruised through their first two sets against the Dinos on Thursday, Feb. 20. Calgary, however, swept the momentum back with authority, stealing the next three sets straight to claim Game 1 for the Dinos, finishing 3-2.

“The first two sets went really well for us”, UFV’s second-year setter, Silas Van Huizen, commented. “We were really in control. [In] the third set, they made some adjustments … We weren’t really expecting them to push back like that … It came down to our serving and our passing; they

Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades © CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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SPORTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 had a lot more aces and a lot less errors.

We were leading every category besides serving, basically. It was definitely a tough game.”

On the front lines, Nimo Benne and Jonas Van Huizen kept the score close in Game 1, finishing with 16 and 19 Kills (K), respectively. In unison, Ryan Hampe owned defence at the net, claiming more than half of UFV’s 17 blocks versus Calgary’s six.

The Dinos outmatched the Cascade’s aggression at the endline, securing double the amount of aces, placing excess pressure on the team in an uphill battle.

The Dinos had 10 Service Aces (SA), compared to the Cascades’ 5, also incurring only 14 Service Errors (SE) to the Cascades’ 27.

S. Van Huizen attributed the three set finisher to the Dinos knocking the Cascades out of rhythm.

“Credit to [Calgary], they definitely picked it up. Our passing [and] execution got a little bit worse. I noticed as a team [that] when we pass good, we play good.

So it definitely affected our game.”

The Dinos came out stronger in Game 2, solidifying the first two sets 25-22 and 25-19. UFV retaliated back in direct response during the third set, gaining a seven point lead with Benne securing 3 SA in a row, pushing the Cascades past the 20 point threshold with the Dinos trailing behind (20-13). The Cascades held on for a 25-18 third-set victory.

S. Van Huizen suggested that losing three straight sets in Game 1 may have carried into the following match. “[It was] definitely in the back of our heads. Besides that I think we actually moved on pretty well and started fresh next game.”

Forced into a fourth set at a score of 2-1, the Dinos displayed their maturity as a team, digging in deep with a 25-20

decision.

Calgary excelled at their offence, marking their kill efficiency at .363 per cent compared to UFV’s .302 per cent in Game 2. The Dinos’ Erik Godwin was recognized as Canada West BioSteel Men’s Volleyball Player of the Week for his impressive performance, particularly in his serving. Godwin secured six of the Dinos’ 10 SA in Game 1, while also tallying 16 K, with a .314 hitting percentage.

In Game 2, Godwin improved his kill efficiency, with 10 K on .348 hitting and also secured 6 Digs (D) for the Dinos.

The Dinos have been on the play-off bubble for the past couple of years, giving them postseason experience that the Cascades lacked.

“Going on from here, we have that experience now, and that can make a difference in the play-offs,” stated S. Van Huizen.

Despite the loss, CW second-team all star J. Van Huizen of the Cascades

finished Game 2 with 20 K, hitting at a .359 per cent clip while also securing 1 SA and 5 D. Calgary moved on to face the Golden Bears in the quarter-finals, who beat out the Dinos 3-0 on Friday, Feb. 28. With a golden ticket to the Final Four, the Golden Bears will battle the UBC Thunderbirds on Mar. 7 in Winnipeg, MB. With five graduating seniors, S. Van Huizen is eagerly anticipating his new role on a young team moving forward.

“Definitely excited to have a bigger role here. I’ve usually been one of the younger guys on the team, especially this team …

It’s gonna be a little different being one of the older guys and needing to have some wisdom for the younger guys.”

At every end, there is space for a new beginning, and it is clear that the UFV Cascades are only getting started.

Basketball //

Cascades eliminate Pronghorns; fall to Vikes Victoria continues its undefeated streak, bringing the Fraser Valley’s season to an end RAJDEEP KAUR The UFV Cascades men’s basketball team (MBB) saw their season come to a close on Saturday, Feb. 22, falling 106-84 to the top-seeded University of Victoria (UVic) Vikes in the Canada West quarter-finals (QF). The ninth-seed Cascades started off strong, leading by one at the first quarter’s conclusion, but were outscored 18 Points (PTS) by UVic in the second quarter and

Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades ©

couldn’t recover to overthrow the undefeated 20-0 Vikes.

Takeshi Croke netted a career high 20 Points (PTS) on a night where he shot a perfect 6-6 from beyond the arc, and 6-9 from the field. CW Second-Team all-star Dario Lopez contributed 18 PTS, 6 Rebounds (REB), and 2 Steals (STL).

Taking on the Vikes is a challenge regardless of whether one or two players are out of the line up. U Sports Player of the Year Diego Maffia has been forced onto the sidelines due to an ACL tear suffered against the Trinity Western Spartans in January. With Maffia sidelined, Renoldo Robinson has picked up the load offensively, scoring 21.5 Points Per Game (PPG). Four Vikes have averaged double digits in scoring this season.

First-year guard Dilveer Randhawa referenced the Vikes’ precision and relentlessness in what makes them a difficult matchup.

“You might get them in the first quarter, like we did,” he said. “But it’s a team that doesn’t go away after one or two quarters … they play hard all four. If you want to beat them, you have to outwork them for four quarters to even have a chance.”

The Cascades secured their spot in Saturday’s QF after a 91-72 win against the eighth-seed Lethbridge Pronghorns one night prior during the play-in qualifier. Friday was a single-game knockout and the Cascades dictated the pace of the match from tip-off.

Randhawa led the team with 20 PTS in 22 Minutes (MIN) off the bench, knocking down 5 Three Pointers (3PT) on 10 attempts. UFV had a sharpshooting night

Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades © from 3PT range at just under 46 per cent.

Angelo Mbituyimana of the Pronghorns put up 27 PTS alone, but the team collectively struggled shooting from the field at approximately 38 per cent on the night.

Randhawa credited his success to a focused week of practice and coordination that flowed into the game.

“It was a good feeling to have a 20 point game in the play-offs, especially against a good team. My teammates found me and I just knocked down the shots.”

Croke and Lopez balanced out the scoring with 15 and 17 points respectively.

Croke knocked down three of his four shots from beyond the arc, and Lopez nearly tallied a double-double grabbing 8 boards. Uyi Ologhola provided

a commendable boost off the bench, contributing 14 PTS, 4 REB, and 1 Assist (A) in just 16 MIN on the court.

The Cascades wrapped up the regular season with a record of 10-11, good for fifth in the Pacific Division. Lopez’s 18.4 PPG ranked fifth in the conference as the fourth-year forward approaches his senior season. Croke finished the season as the conference leader in Assists Per Game (APG) with 5.4 ​​— a Cascades record — and leaves the program just 13 shy of the highest single season assist total of 121.

With a talented roster and an abundance of potential, the Cascades have a strong foundation of experience for the group to build upon next season.

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SPORTS Golf //

A bronze is just the start for UFV Golf Teeing up the upcoming season with Morgan Best VERONICA POWELL UFV’s golf season is looking promising after bringing home their second consecutive bronze at the Canada West (CW) Championships in Kelowna last year. In a conversation with Morgan Best from UFV’s women’s golf (WGOLF), the anticipation for her upcoming tournament at Reflection Bay Golf Club in Las Vegas was real—as are UFV’s hopes to achieve their next big feat.

Best reflected on feeling the heat at the previous Championships, speaking on playing under great pressure, and expressed the importance of remaining humble and collected in her next approach.

Even though there’s undeniable excitement, the nerves have settled into Best as the tournament approaches. The expectations are higher this time around, but she’s mindful about not being overconfident in her approach.

“I was very nervous [last time],” she said. “It was my first time ever actually playing in the States before, especially [in the] South [where] the courses are quite different. I was a little intimidated, but I

know the course a little better now, so I’m definitely more comfortable going into [it].”

When it comes to self-improvement, Best continues to work on the mental aspects of golf throughout the active and off season, including being more positive and having less doubt in her own abilities.

Being invested in every shot is crucial, but draining when spending the entire day on the course.

“It’s such a long and tiring sport, maybe not all the time physically, but mentally it’s exhausting … it’s about 11 hours of having to focus on tournament golf.”

The team’s biggest challenge will be coming back to tournament golf from a big break after courses were closed for winter. On the course, it will be navigating the type of grass, as it determines how fast balls will roll off of swings.

Every player brings something valuable to the team. McKenna Farlin is the newest recruit of UFV WGOLF who Best described as a positive asset.

“She brings a really good perspective on how to take different shots. Even Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades © though she might not have a good day on

the golf course, she still maintains that same ‘I finished the round’ mentality.”

There’s always room for improvement in your chosen craft. Best is focused on one simple thing for this season—to be better at golf than she was last year.

“Last year, my first two rounds were pretty tough. I felt very uncomfortable on the golf course. I felt a little lost, and a lot of times I found I couldn’t make decisions on my own—I’d want my coach to be there. Over this past semester, I tended to be more alone [on] the course, which I quite enjoyed, and then just having my coach there in key moments where I do need someone else’s opinion. So I just want to make sure that I’m able to [make decisions] on my own and have the confidence to just keep playing and figuring things out [on] my own.”

Best will take the course next on Mar. 30 at Abbotsford’s Ledgeview Golf Club for a CW matchplay. Be sure to mark your calendars because you won’t want to miss the future, improved champions ramp up their season.

Volleyball //

Shell-shocked!

Eighth seed Saskatchewan Huskies complete unthinkable upset over top seed UFV JEFFREY KENNETT Reminiscient of the Philistine Goliath with sword in hand, being struck down by the stone hurling David, the top seeded UFV Cascades (17-3) were shocked on Mar. 2 at the UFV Athletic Centre by the eighth seeded Saskatchewan (USask) Huskies (10-10). The Cascades dropped the best-of-three Canada West (CW) quarter-final (QF) series 2-1 — denying them a trip to nationals, and sending the Huskies to the Final Four.

It was a surreal scene following the Cascades’ 3-0 defeat on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Coaches, fans, and players alike were visibly shaken up from the unfathomable series result. Despite the mismatched final score, the Cascades were within two in each of the final two sets, sending both past regulation 25 points.

UFV held a 24-22 lead in the second set, needing just one point to equal the score at 1-1, before total collapse — the Huskies stormed back to take a 29-27 set victory, going up 2-0 in the process, and closing out the final frame 26-24.

16

The win even caught the Huskies off guard. “[It’s] a little bit shocking, but deep down we know we’re a strong team,” said fourth-year Outside Hitter (OH) Keely Anderson on eliminating the top seed.

“We’re very proud of ourselves.”

Anderson was instrumental to the Huskies’ QF triumph — racking up 30 Kills (K) 52 Digs (D), and contributing only 8 Errors (E) in the series. Her performance earned her CW BioSteel Player of the Week honours for the week of Mar. 4.

No Cascades raised their stock more this play-off series than second-year OH Mandi Feist, continuing her ascension to CW all-stardom. Feist matched Anderson’s total of 30 K in the series, while establishing herself as a reliable two-way presence with 27 D. On the flipside, Feist was responsible for 24 E in three games. Newly minted WVB Coach of the Year Janelle Rozema said that allowing Feist to play through her errors is paramount as the team is committed to their emerging core piece for the long haul.

“Mandy makes the right kind of errors, errors that we’re looking for when you’re

Photo courtesy of UFV Cascades © supposed to be aggressive.”

The Cascades stormed out to a 25-11 blitz in the first set of the series, only for the following nine straight sets to be separated by five points or less — five of which were decided by as few as two points.

UFV dropped the next three consecutive sets of Game 1 (3-1), before winning three in a row of their own in Game 2 (3-0).

Following the conclusion of Game 3, Huskies Coach Mark Dodds shared a moment on the floor with an emotional Feist and Lauren Attieh; two players that he knows differently than most opponents.

“We’ve got a unique relationship with this team,” said Coach Dodds. “We went to Japan with them two years ago [for exhibition].” “[It’s] my job, but I truly love the game.

[Feist and Attieh] are pretty special players, so I just wanted to go tell them that I enjoy watching them play.”

The Cascades now begin the off season, while the Huskies head to Edmonton to take on the UBC Thunderbirds in the semi-finals. The University of Alberta Pandas and Manitoba Bisons round out the Final Four, with nationals beginning in Manitoba on Mar. 14.

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CULTURE

culture@ufvcascade.ca Culture Editor - Elyssa English

Column //

Campus Fashion: a three day thrifting challenge Finding fantastic finds under $20 RACHEL TAIT This is Campus Fashion, your source of inspiration for seasonal trends, cool finds, and wardrobe basics to keep you looking stylish throughout the year.

Thrifting is a sustainable and fun way to stay fashionable on a budget and the adventure of the treasure hunt can be exhilarating. But is it possible to always find something great every time you go thrifting? The Cascade set out on a three day challenge with a budget of just $20 to find out.

Working with a list of items you hope to find is a great way to manage your time and budget wisely. Taking pictures or using a Pinterest board is another way to help when thrifting.

On the first day of the challenge, I went to MCC Clothing Etc., and found a blue sweater dress from Forever 21 for 50 cents. A similar item listed on their

website costs $25.

When I went to LIFE’s Second Chance and Value Village, I was unable to find anything I truly wanted, which was a little disappointing; however, it just meant that I had more to spend at the next stop.

Do we really need an item or are we buying for the sake of buying? This is a good question to ask ourselves—it is so tempting to purchase something for cheap because it’s available.

On the second day, I went to two thrift stores. At the Abbotsford Bibles for Missions Thrift store, I found a cream linen jacket from Old Navy for a dollar; a similar jacket on their website costs around $79.99. I also bought a blush pink mock neck sweater by Guess for $9.60 at MCC; a similar sweater from Guess costs $89.

This trip was more productive, as I was able to check off two items from my list.

The trick is not to settle for less, even if

the prices are more affordable. Waiting for exactly what you want is key—it is more gratifying and exciting when you find it.

On the final day, I went to MCC Clothing Etc., where I was able to find a pair of tweed dress pants by S.C. & CO. (regularly $14.97-21.97), Denver Hayes denim capris (regularly $35.98), and a denim floral shirt from Joe Fresh (regularly $39), each at 50 cents.

A good strategy to remember is to go on the first day that the sale starts, which is usually on a Monday or Tuesday, depending on the store. There is a lot more selection to choose from, especially if you go in the morning.

At the end of the three days, I ended up spending a grand total of $12.10. The full retail price totals $303.72, including the clearance prices. Another challenge completed—the thrifted way!

Photo by allison christine on Unsplash

Column //

The Cascade Kitchen: instant ramen, deluxe edition ⁤ 1 tsp soy sauce

⁤ Sriracha (or your favourite hot sauce) to taste ⁤ Ground pepper to taste ⁤ 2-3 cups of water ⁤ 2 eggs Optional:

4. Add frozen veggies, stirring occasionally, until they reach desired texture. Remove from heat. Set aside.

⁤ Green onions, sliced

5. In a pot or a kettle, bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil.

Canned meat caveat: SPAM has been unfairly given a reputation for being an unholy meat amalgamation — with the implication that those are bad qualities to have. In my opinion, this is both incorrect and, frankly, unjust. When fried and treated with the proper respect, it makes for a very tasty snack.

Don’t be so judgemental; give her a chance.

6. While waiting for the water to boil, whisk together soy sauce, mayo, sugar, hot sauce, ground pepper, and the flavour pack from your instant noodles, in the bowl you will be eating from.

7. Add vegetables and noodles to the bowl, then pour in the hot water, stirring occasionally to separate the noodles.

Method: 1. Cut SPAM into slices, about 1/2 cm in thickness. Use as many as you would like for this recipe and save extras for later. In a sealed container, in the fridge, it will last a long time.

8. Return the frying pan to the stove, on medium heat. Add butter or oil.

Cook two eggs to your liking. By the time the eggs are cooked, the noodles should be ready!

⁤ Toasted sesame seeds

Photo by Elyssa English noodles alone just doesn’t cut it anymore.

ELYSSA ENGLISH To combine this need for cheap, low The Cascade Kitchen is a student-run effort food, with goals of a balanced diet, I food column that brings you budget- have crafted this method; making instant friendly recipes and cooking tips. Check noodles, instantly better. back each week for something new to try Prep time: 10 minutes in the kitchen, or if you want to see your own recipe featured next, get started by Cook time: 15 minutes reaching out to culture@ufvcascade.ca. Serves: 1 Instant noodles are a staple food for Ingredients: many a university student — and for good reason. They’re cheap, easy to make, and ⁤ 1 pack instant noodles (whichever brand and flavour you prefer) require minimal cooking skills. When grinding through the semester, barely ⁤ 1 can of SPAM enduring the madness of midterms, ⁤ Maple syrup the last thing I’m worrying about is ⁤ Butter or oil, for sautéing scrounging together a meal with some ⁤ 3 cloves of garlic, minced sort of nutritional value.

But, as I approach my 30s, nutrition ⁤ 1 cup frozen veggies (the kind I and healthy eating are far more important buy includes baby corn, peas, and carrots) to my daily functioning than in the past.

Sustaining myself on caffeine and instant ⁤ 1/4 cup mayonnaise

3. Wipe out the frying pan, add a small amount of butter or oil, and bring the pan to medium heat again. Add the minced garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until fragrant.

2. Heat a frying pan at moderate heat, then add the sliced SPAM, flipping occasionally. Fry until slightly crispy and golden brown. Add a drizzle of maple syrup to both sides then set aside.

9. Add eggs to the bowl, and if desired, garnish with green onions and/or toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

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STUDY BREAK Crossword //

Horoscopes // By: Madame LaCarte Aries - Mar. 21 to Apr. 19 Stop overthinking and find equanimity. Be a duck on a river, calmly floating to where you need to be. You don’t have to swim; the current will take you where you need to go.

Taurus - Apr. 20 to May 20 Hey, I get it. I didn’t get my Hogwarts letter either. But you gotta stop looking at old boots, hoping that they’re portkeys. You’re not the chosen one. Instead, go do that assignment you’ve been putting off. And for fucks sake, go read another book!

Gemini - May 21 to Jun. 20 You’ve got a hole and you’ve been trying to fill it with so many vices, but no matter what you do or how you distract yourself, once you’re alone, the hole is still there.

Eventually you’ll learn that the external can’t fix the internal and that the broken can’t fix the broken. Get help dude, get help.

Cancer - Jun. 21 to Jul. 22 You come from comfort, and it’s made you carefree. Oh, yes, I know, you’ve “been through things too.” But let’s face it, the stories you tell yourself are grand, but just that.

Now you’re in the real world and the true trials await. Good luck.

Leo - Jul. 23 to Aug. 22 Grind. Grind. Grind. That’s all you do. Your teeth are following your lead—keep going and you’ll crack both mentally and physically. The whole chipped-tooth-look doesn’t look good on you. Try some self-care, maybe a nap. Just be sure to wear a mouth guard.

Virgo - Aug. 23 to Sept. 22 Nonconformity is great, and that soap box makes you look taller, but when everyone is on a box screaming for individuality, are you really all that original? Make your own choices, have your own thoughts, and the wealth you’ll gain won’t be the type that’s easily spent.

Libra - Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 If you judge yourself today for your actions of yesterday you are condemning an innocent. Stop questioning whether you deserve what you are being given and just go with it. Let go of who you were and focus on who you are; only then will you become who you will be.

Scorpio - Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 The son goes to his father and says “dad, dad, my wife hates me, my children won’t listen to me, and I lost my job,” and the father replies, “This will pass.” A year later the son says “dad, dad, my marriage is great, my kids are doing well, and I love my new job!” And the father replies, “This too, will pass.”

Sagittarius - Nov. 22 to Dec. 21

Sudoku //

Mozart wrote his first symphony when he was eight, Mary Shelley published Frankenstein when she was 20, at 18 Alexander the Great was conquering countries, and at 17 Joan of Arc had turned around a war. No wonder you’re feeling insecure.

Stop looking at what others are doing. You’re not a historical figure, you’re a present figure. Act like it.

Capricorn - Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 You’re finding your momentum and moving forward. You’re doing what you’re supposed to, and you are where you need to be. Just keep going for now.

Aquarius - Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 Shit has hit the fan so often you have become a gold medallist at dodging the splatter.

But while you’ve perfected the acrobatic art of dodging, have you ever considered just unplugging the fan? I know, I know, accountability is hard. It’s easier to blame shit on the fan than to take responsibility for you dancing in front of it.

Pisces - Feb. 19 to Mar. 20 Oversight, undersight, foresight, and hindsight; these are what you’ve lacked. Now you’re walking blind. Get a cane to stop tripping about or, better yet, get a dog to guide you.

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CULTURE UFV //

Combating censorship with Freedom to Read UFV Library celebrates intellectual freedom and the importance of reading CASSIE WILLIAMS Imagine you walk through a library only to find the racks empty. All your beloved authors have been stripped from the shelves; you go to reach for an old favourite only to find your hand empty. There are no books for you anymore.

This is what Freedom to Read hopes to prevent.

Getting its start in 1984, Freedom to Read Week (FTRW) was founded to challenge censorship and promote open access to literature. This year, from Feb. 23 to Mar. 1, FTRW was celebrated across the country to recognize and encourage the reading of thought-provoking written works.

Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade

This year, UFV Library held its second event for FTRW in hopes of bringing more recognition to the week. Event organizer Samantha Gibbs sat down with The Cascade to discuss the importance of the occasion.

“Freedom to Read is bringing awareness to intellectual freedom … It’s to understand why things are banned in some places … and makes us think about why [a book is] banned … [and] gets us to think about that and challenge our commitment to intellectual freedom.”

While the event hosted by UFV Library was for Canada’s FTRW, Gibbs emphasized that they aim to highlight challenged (an attempt to ban or restrict a book) books from anywhere in the world, not just Canada.

“This week is specific to Canada, so all Canadian libraries, whether they’re academic, public, or school libraries, tend to celebrate it.”

While some content certainly may be too heavy for lower grade levels, for example books with explicit sexual content, if this pattern continues, the prioritization of literary comfort will leave nothing with substantive or diverse viewpoints on the shelves. FTRW fights the precedent wherein anything that goes even slightly against the status quo be taken away.

The event at UFV featured various speakers reading passages from challenged books, including The Handmaid’s Tale (1985), The Hunger Games (2008), and Essex County (2009). The speakers explained why these books have been challenged in parts of the world and shared personal anecdotes of their experiences

reading them.

While FTRW is primarily focused on censorship in libraries, Gibbs also emphasized the problems it raises for publishing.

“We think about [bans] as libraries, but it’s the writer’s livelihood, or the publisher’s livelihood, whether it’s a small, independent press that’s publishing the book, and all of a sudden they lose sales because some places [are] banning [it] and pulling it from shelves.”

But how can authors choose what their readers will get from a book? Why is that onus placed on them when, at the end of the day, each individual will form their own opinion of an art form — be it right or wrong. It’s not always about the message within a book, but how that message is taught, delivered, and received. As Oscar Wilde said: “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

Many of these books don’t even touch on heavy themes. Take Shel Silverstein’s poetry collection A Light in the Attic (1981). This book was challenged due to what was believed to be promotion of “anti-parent material.” Parents believed their children would break dishes in order to get out of washing them after reading Silverstein’s poem “How Not to Have to Dry the Dishes.”

In the article “Challenged in Canada,” printed in issue 33.04 of The Cascade, contributor Kara Dunbar highlighted five books that have been challenged, and encouraged readers to pick these titles up next time they visit a library.

This is just one of the many ways you can get involved with FTRW and support

literary freedom.

Although the official week itself is over, it’s never too late to get involved. Visit the displays at the UFV libraries in Chilliwack and Abbotsford or branches of the Fraser Valley Regional Library, use UFV’s guide to learn more about the event, and support local authors and publishers.

On top of that, if you are incredibly passionate about book bans, a new course is being offered at UFV this summer examining the very subject. ENGL 271E: Censorship in the Modern World, will explore the freedom of expression in democracy and how to fight censorship with reading and rhetoric.

Above all else, read! Read books that inspire you, that captivate you, and maybe even challenge you to think a little differently. This is what reading is; opening our minds outside our own worlds and invoking meaningful thought.

Representation matters; let’s not restrict it.

Photo by Joshua Sulpico / The Cascade

Lifestyle //

Budget-friendly student travel tips Tips to travel more, spend smarter, and make the most of your next adventure GAURI SETHI As a student, travelling is one of those things that can feel like a far-fetched dream, especially with the seemingly endless assignments and exams every semester. On top of that, all the student loans and continuous expenses — rent, groceries, textbooks, transportation — make it much harder to take a holiday or visit new places. But here’s the thing: if you travel smart and utilize the following tips while planning your next trip, then it may be more achievable than you think.

Advanced booking Booking your flights as early as possible is a good way to save money while planning trips. Factors such as the popularity of the

location, the season you are travelling in, and sometimes even the day of the week that you are buying the ticket, can have a huge impact on the price.

To add, it becomes easier to grab the cheapest possible tickets for the destination you’re travelling to if you have flexible dates and can adjust your travel according to the cheapest option available.

In most cases, flights in the off-season tend to be less expensive compared to peak travel times, which are usually early fall or spring. To keep an eye on the fluctuating prices, set alerts for your flight using price comparison websites like Skyscanner. For instance, travelling to Montréal is less expensive in April as compared to peak seasons like November

or December. Not to mention if you book flights early, then it gives you flexibility to cancel and rebook the ticket if there is a drop in the price. Moreover, if you book the tickets in advance, there is a higher chance of finding lower rates, such as tickets for the ferry to Victoria.

per night.

Use public transportation Uber or taxis can be pretty expensive, especially for students. As a result, using public transit can be a great way to save while travelling. Most cities have budgetfriendly and convenient buses and metro routes to help you explore popular tourist spots and get you around the city. Even most local shuttle services cost less than taxis. In Montréal, you can use the Métro or the bus to explore the city at a very low cost.

Cook your meals With all the expenses that come with travel, eating out every day can dig a big

Choosing cheaper accommodations Selecting the right accommodation is crucial while travelling on a student budget. Even though hotels and resorts sound appealing, it’s better to look for hostels, guesthouses, or Airbnb stays which are often cheaper than hotels.

For example, if you plan to visit Tofino, several guesthouses offer cheaper prices than local hotels; Tofino Point Guesthouse offers accommodation for as low as $95 CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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or outdoor activities such as hiking to on things like entertainment, food, when booking your next trip so you can famous spots. These adventures can take airfare, shopping, etc…, as long as you make the most of it without straying from your budget. Happy travels! up a whole day of your trip and won’t cost are a part-time or full-time student. you a huge amount of money for entry Make sure you keep these tips in mind tickets. Many cities also host free festivals and pop-up events you can add to your itinerary.

Montréal is one of those cities in Canada that hosts free festivals with art, live music, and delicious food in the summer, which can be a great experience for someone who is visiting for the first time.

hole in your savings for the trip. Buying ingredients that are available locally and using them to make your own meals can be cheaper than dining out every day.

For example, several farmers markets in Victoria sell inexpensive and locally grown products so you can enjoy low-cost, home-cooked meals. On-the-go grocery store meals or some ready-to-eat packed food that you can take along for these trips are also great alternatives to cut costs.

Student discounts Enjoy free or low-cost activities Lastly, there are several student discounts With proper research, you can do a lot as well as special offers you can access of things without breaking the bank as a through programs like Student Beans. tourist. Look for free beaches, museums, You can take advantage of these discounts

ARTS

Illustration by mohamed hassan arts@ufvcascade.ca Arts Editor - Anna McCausland

Movies //

More humour than horror The Monkey is a circus of a film CAITLYN CARR When you hear ‘Stephen King,’ what comes to mind? Bloody prom queens?

Haunted hotels? An evil clown with a red balloon? The thing all these stories have in common is that not only are they entertaining, but they’re also scary.

With this in mind, you can imagine my expectations when I decided to watch the latest film based on King’s work of the same name, The Monkey (2025). Suffice to say, I walked out of the theatre feeling disappointed.

Directed by Osgood Perkins — known

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for Longlegs (2024) and The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) — this film is based on King’s original short story, “The Monkey,” which was published in his collection, Skeleton Crew (1985). The story follows Hal (Theo James) as a deadly toy monkey from his childhood resurfaces after the death of his aunt (Sarah Levy). While navigating rocky relationships with both his son (Colin O’Brien) and Bill, his estranged twin brother — also played by James — Hal must find a way to vanquish the toy’s sinister power.

The topic of ‘daddy issues’ was explored heavily in The Monkey. Seriously, I don’t

think a single character had a good relationship with their dad. That being said, this arc worked really well for Hal as both a son and a father. The way Hal, an awkward and reclusive man, interacted with his sarcastic and outspoken teenage son was hilarious. I just wish they’d kept this element contained to the central characters.

As funny as this movie was, you might be surprised to hear that this humour actually contributed to its downfall.

While the trailer advertises it predominantly as a horror movie, The Monkey was truly more of a gory comedy with some horror elements thrown in. Don’t get me wrong, the jokes had me laughing from beginning to end, but I didn’t go in expecting a comedy. I wanted a good scare — especially with James Wan as producer, who’s known for Saw (2004) and The Conjuring (2013). The only laughing I do during movies like those is after my friend and I both get freaked out by a jump scare. Or because the movie, which has been mostly intense and full of terror, deliberately uses humour for relief.

The Monkey instead prioritized a good laugh over a successful scare.

The best horror movies use humour sparingly, and they also often have frightening visuals that stay with you even after the movie’s over. The first movie that comes to my mind is Cuckoo (2024). I can still picture the grotesque monster’s outstretched arm as it chased Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) on her bike to this day.

Such lingering visuals were lacking in The Monkey — unless you count James’ horrible mullet wig. Other than that, the only disturbing aspect of the visuals in this film was the amount of unnecessary Photo courtesy of Neon - © Neon computer-generated imagery (CGI) used.

The random technicolour dream sequence had me wondering if there was something extra in my popcorn, and don’t get me started on that random grim reaper.

Other than being visually scary, good horror movies need unnerving scores.

A movie that does this really well is Us (2019). The film’s creepy remix of Luniz’s “I Got 5 On It” still haunts my nightmares.

As for The Monkey, the sound of the toy’s drum wasn’t unpleasant to listen to, and it was also far from frightening.

Expectations aside, the brutal transitions, awkward monologues, and running gags were ultimately amusing. Not only that, but the movie had unexpected cameos from both Elijah Wood and Adam Scott which were both an absolute delight. I only wish they’d made better use of the Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) star’s experience in comedy. Nonetheless, Scott’s brief appearance was definitely welcome.

Finally, it seemed that the film couldn’t quite make up its mind on which era it wanted to take place in. The movie had tiny TVs with antennas in one scene and AirPods in another, then at one point, Hal broke open a phonebook. Because of the sets and costumes, some scenes that were supposed to take place in the 1990s seemed more like the 1970s. Maybe Perkins was trying to bring together the past and the present as seen in work like Riverdale (2017-2023) and Gotham (20142019), but it just didn’t land.

Still, the message of this movie came through clearly—almost too clearly if you ask me. Told through the lens of a man too afraid to let anyone in, The Monkey addresses the unfortunate spontaneity of dying and encourages viewers not to let our fear of death dictate our lives.

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ARTS Music //

A ballad of feminine maturity Tate McRae’s new album goes deeper than intimacy VERONICA POWELL We’ve seen her music grow from playful, to emotionally hard-hitting, to established club-bangers. Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae’s third studio album So Close To What (2025) establishes a whole new sense of maturity in the midst of steamy, melodic heartbreak. Its breathy tones, dirty lyrics, and punchy pop sounds have hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts — the first of her albums to achieve it. Its musicality conveys a message to the music industry about her experience with publicity as a 21-year-old woman, and it is a love letter to her feelings about a never-ending finish line ahead of her — where satisfaction with her work falls just out of her reach.

McRae is a natural performer and talented dancer who expresses her feelings on the dance floor as well as through her music. In anticipation of her second world tour, titled “Miss Possessive Tour,” fans can expect her introspective song “Revolving door” to be on the top of the set list. In the song, she sings “But I keep comin’ back like a revolvin’ door / Say I couldn’t want you less, but I just want you more.” The beat is propulsive as she takes us through the motions of feeling out of control in a relationship she struggles with quitting. It’s quite the metaphor.

The terrifying feat of falling in love again with a different person after heartbreak comes through in “Greenlight.”

McRae uses driving as a metaphor for

Photo courtesy of RCA Records moving forward and trying to leave her past behind. A full section of royal-sounding string instrumentals introduce her soft vocals that sing a seductive conversation between her and the media in “Purple lace bra” expressing how news outlets only seem to listen to her for her sex appeal, and not what she actually has to say. Her tone becomes deep and throaty when asking the media, “Did my purple lace bra get your attention?” followed by “Would you hear me more if I whispered in your ear?”

Each track’s story is transient behind an ongoing sexy sweet melody, as each song takes place in a different room, and a different bed. McRae navigates her love life that has been stitched up and broken again.

“Nostalgia” is an interesting twist that closes out the album, and brings out an

introverted side to a super vulnerable and private atmosphere. It’s McRae protecting herself and being “Three steps ahead of everythin’” to ensure she doesn’t risk heartbreak again. Not only that, but it’s a love letter to following passion and doing what’s authentic to her.

As a true Tate McRae fan, there aren’t many songs on the album I skip past. It captures the element of performance well, leaving you breathless on the dance floor (or other places). Her use of earworm sounds is a clever method that seems out of context at first, but adds texture and grit to songs like “Miss possessive.” The song’s assertive hand-clapping layered with synth sets the tone for the album, especially when Miss Sydney Sweeney opens with the bratty line “No, seriously, get your hands off my man.”

One of my favourite songs is the

catchy “I know love” featuring McRae’s boyfriend, The Kid LAROI. Their voices blend naturally together and the highpitched, repetitive chorus puts you in a lovestruck kind of mood. However, LAROI’s verse in “I know love” had little depth to it and felt slightly lazy. I would have liked the themes and lyrics themselves to be more original, as I might compare the dramatic tunes to others belonging to Sabrina Carpenter or Charli XCX. “Siren sounds” debuted as a surprise bonus track and is one of the best songs on the album. Goosebumps hit me hard when McRae describes the image of a burning house representing a messy relationship.

The album serves fast-paced rhythms, bouncy beats, and snappy comebacks within authentic lyrics that speak to the younger generation. Regardless of what was smashing or not, the album provides a front row seat to refreshing, badass female energy. It comes out like a lioness, and I’m absolutely here for it.

With a single flip of her hair, So Close to What includes 15, dance-centric tracks that showcase an evolution of McRae’s music style and personal growth.

Compared to her previous emotionally-driven, trap-pop album THINK LATER (2023), it’s more fervent and fiery — yet sophisticated. In the midst of her themes of toxic love, self-doubt, and vulnerability, she tells us to embrace our inner power with confidence and stay true to ourselves.

Music //

“Call me when you break up” is for situationship survivors Your new heartbreak anthem PRATI KAPOOR If your playlist has been missing a little groove and drama, Selena Gomez just dropped “Call Me When You Break Up,” the ultimate break-up anthem for someone hoping their ex’s rebound will be a total bummer. Released on Feb. 20, this spicy jam is a part of her upcoming album I Said I Love You First (2025), which I am low-key excited for. It’s serving all the right jitters.

Gomez is the queen of turning heartbreaks into chart-toppers — everyone remembers “Lose You To Love Me” right? Total chef’s kiss! Gomez worked on the song with Gracie Abrams, who basically uses her diaries as inspiration for her

songs. I still haven’t gotten over “That’s So True” — the whole internet felt seen listening to it. Benny Blanco, the hitmaking record producer — who has crafted bangers for everyone from Ed Sheeran to Justin Bieber — produced for Gomez; as a green flag fiancé should.

“Call Me When You Break Up” is for anyone who always has their eye glued to their ex’s stories hoping they break up with their current partner so they will come back to them. The song kicks off with a guitar riff, followed soon by lyrics that are sharp and unapologetic. Gomez opens the song with “Call me when you break up / I wanna be the first one on your mind when you wake up” setting the stage for a song that everyone hung up on their

exes can relate to.

Abrams takes over in the second verse with her gut-punching lyrics. “Tried every obvious replacement / In bars, in strangers’ beds until my faith was in the basement.” This is for every ex who came back after fooling around and if you’ve ever felt desperate for a rebound, this’ll hit home for you. She ends her verse with, “Look, I’m emotionally bankrupt / We’re so meant for each other, I mean, God, when will you wake up, wake up?” Like, emotionally bankrupt? Girl, you dropped your crown and I dropped my jaw.

Despite that, the line “Call me when you break up” feels a tad repetitive and left me CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Photo courtesy of Selena Gomez / SMG Music LLC & Friends Keep Secrets

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ARTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21 hoping for more variety in the lyrics.

There’s so much to love and honestly, I like songs that hit home, not just for crying with a glass of wine, but dancing your heart out to — especially in a club on a Saturday night. It’s nice to have one song that fits a range of feelings, right?

The song loses points for originality, as it’s a theme you hear in countless songs

already. It’s a typical groovy break-up song, but the music industry is already overflowing with them. So either every other musician is constantly going through a heartbreak or that’s all audiences want to listen to.

The song draws the right balance between vulnerability and longing for an old lover. It’s anyone wanting to have their main character moment while they sit with their complicated feelings. The

music video matches the vibe of the song — it’s just Gomez and Abrams grooving to their song in a hotel room. It feels like I’m at a cozy sleepover with my girls and everyone’s spilling the tea.

“Call Me When You Break Up” may not be anything new, but break-up songs are never outdated. Go ahead, add it to your playlist, cry to it if you break up with someone, or maybe send it to that one ex … you know, just for fun.

Entertainment//

Anything’s possible at this year’s Oscars

97th annual Academy Awards give everything from historic to hilarious ANNA MCCAUSLAND Every year the most prestigious award show in Hollywood becomes the thing to talk about. I usually end up watching one or two of the nominees and tune into the Oscars for the fashion then stay for flowery acceptance speeches. This year I managed to catch six out of the 10 nominees for Best Picture. So when I sat down for the 97th annual Oscar Academy Awards show, I had my favourites and sneaking suspicions. Some proved right, some proved wrong, but either way this was an Oscars for the history books.

The show opened with a bang, with Arianna Grande and Cynthia Erivo belting out excerpts from the biggest musical of the year, Wicked (2024). Erivo left the audience speechless with her final riff of “Defying Gravity” as Grande looked on with admiration in a way that will be memed for years to come.

Conan O’Brien hosted the show for the first time. The long time late night show host gave a subpar opening monologue that highlighted just how young Timothée Chalamet is, jokingly compared AI to child labour, and ended with a song about not wasting the audiences’ time while being a complete waste of time. One brilliant joke O’Brien made was about Karla Sofia Gascón’s publicist using more f-bombs than Anora (2024).

The first award of the night went to Kieran Culkin for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. I was hoping for a more awkwardly hilarious acceptance speech from Culkin, like the ones we’ve seen in the past, but instead he gave us a joke about having more kids with his wife and called it a night.

There were some historic winners this year. Flow (2024) won Best Animated Feature Film and is the first Latvian film to win an Oscar, and Paul Tazewell was the first Black man to win Best Costume Design for his fabulous work on Wicked.

Whether or not the public thinks it was deserved, Zoe Saldaña became the first American of Dominican descent to win

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an Oscar for her supporting role in Emilia Pérez (2024).

Speaking of the controversial film; neither of the acceptance speeches for the two Oscars Emilia Pérez won addressed trans people or the community, even though it’s a key part of the movie. While Saldaña is now under fire for the lack of apology she gave to a reporter post-acceptance speech regarding how Latin American and Mexican viewers took the film, it was Camille and Clément Ducol trying to start a sing-along during their speech for Best Original Song that had me cringing. The pair’s attempt did save us from having to hear director Jacques Audiard speak, so perhaps there’s a silver lining.

Adrien Brody’s acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Leading Role was the worst of the night. It became a five minute

rant about how he was the underdog while still somehow maintaining an air of entitlement. Brody called off the music and stated multiple times that he would be “brief” as he continued to speak and the way he threw his gum at his girlfriend at the start was anything but classy. Brody’s win sets a new precedent when it comes to AI aiding an actor — although it is isolated to bolstering Brody’s Hungarian accent when his character spoke the language, it speaks volumes about what the Academy is willing to disregard when talking about excellence.

The best speech of the night came from No Other Land (2024) filmmakers accepting the award for Best Documentary Feature Film. The film is made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective about the devastating effects the war between the two nations has. Yuval Abraham spoke on the importance of this film and called for a ceasefire.

“We made this film, Palestinians and Israelis, because together our voices are stronger. We see each other — the atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people which must end.”

Finally, the sweep of the night — Anora — won five out of the six awards it was nominated for: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing won by the film’s director Sean Baker. Mikey Madison got Best Actress in a Leading Role over Demi Moore — which has caused a lot of discourse online of how it proves the point that The Substance (2024) is making.

To my surprise, Anora won Best Picture. When I first reviewed the film I didn’t think it would be a major contender for the Oscars — I didn’t think it was prestigious enough for Hollywood’s elite, especially as an indie film, but I guess the Academy decided to prove me wrong. Is this a new shift for the Oscars? To quote Anora producer and fellow Canadian, Samantha Quan: “Tell the stories you want to tell.”

Illustration by Natasha Zilcosky / The And maybe you’ll also accept an Oscar Cascade for Best Picture somewhere in the future.

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ARTS Column //

Book Talk: solitude and gardens, notes from a friend May Sarton teaches us to slow down and appreciate what we have CATHERINE CAMPBELL Welcome to Book Talk, where we help you find new fuel for your bookish obsession.

While you might not find these authors while scrolling short-form content online, you will find their work to be significant, impactful, and, hopefully, something you reach for time and again. Happy reading!

Calling May Sarton prolific doesn’t begin to do her justice. In her lifetime, she published 54 books, ranging from poetry, to novels, to her personal and deeply insightful journals. This was on top of her work as a creative writing teacher — at prestigious schools such as Harvard University and Wellesley College — as well as a script writer and essayist. Much of her writing drew from personal experience, including love, queerness, and creativity, and, later in life, her experience of illness and aging.

For the first time since writing this column, I can’t recall how I came across a writer. All I know is that I found Journal of a Solitude (1973) — at a thrift store?

Mentioned online by someone I follow?

— and, after reading only 10 or so pages, promptly ordered every one of her journals from ThriftBooks.

If you haven’t gotten the picture yet, I romanticize much of life and fall in love easily — with books, authors, words, and ideas, among other things. Since finding and falling hard for Sarton, I’ve been working my way through her journals at a pace that allows me to digest them wholly

before moving on. Which is so unlike me — beyond romanticizing, I also devour — that it’s brought me pause, wondering just how I found something, finally, that allows me to slow down and notice.

I think this is because Sarton was, in a way, like this too. Her journals are full of slow wonderings about her world and beyond: she meanders between feminism and women in art to what she’ll plant in her garden come spring. Everything she writes is thoughtful, and while she doesn’t drag things out, she does give the perfect amount of time to each thought — whether it requires a line or an entire page.

(It just so happens that, after over a year with no Sarton, I’ve recently started Recovering: A Journal (1980). While it’s too soon to say for certain, already I feel like I’m coming home to an old friend.)

I hope that, when I reach the age Sarton was when she wrote her journals, I have half as much wisdom about the world around me. I’ll leave you with a sliver of her insight: “I think of the trees and how simply they let go, let fall the riches of a season, how without grief (it seems) they can let go and go deep into their roots for renewal and sleep ... Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long, not even pain, psychic pain. Sit it out. Let it all pass.”

Happy reading!

SHUFFLE

CHARTS

CIVL’s Aaron Levy brings you a shuffle here with limited preamble — you’ll get the point.

01. BUKOLA The Confessions Of An Anti-Social Butterfly 02. JJ ADRIAN As Soon As I Can 03. FKA TWIGS EUSEXUA 04. SAM LYNCH Outline 05. MADDIE JAY I Can Change Your Mind 06. RICHARD DAWSON End of the Middle 07. SKINNY DYCK Easygoing 08. KELELA In The Blue Light 09. NAYA ALI We Did The Damn Thing 10. SHEBAD Music is the Answer 11. BENJAMIN BOOKER LOWER 12. SAYA GRAY SAYA 13. MR. STEE Velvet Dreams EP 14. BATHS Gut 15. SKYE WALLACE The Act of Living 16. INFOPOLICE 360 Humanzee 17. CHLOE DOUCET Sincerely 18. THE WEATHER STATION Humanhood 19. MARLAENA MOORE Because You Love Everything 20. MOTHERHOOD Thunder Perfect Mind

Igor Stravinsky “The Rite of Spring”

As the lore goes — and this lore is far more historically accurate than the crowd sizes cited for many nearby political rallies and events nearby over the past several years — the original performance of this piece of music led to a legitimate riot in the performance theatre. In... checking... France.

The National “Start a War”

Soft, sweet, not strummed so much as fingerpicked. This song doesn’t exactly scream literary onomatopoeia, but it’s my absolute favourite song recorded and/or released by the band — hilariously — known as The National. Whose multi-instrumentalist — also perhaps ironically — contributed to Taylor Swift’s ***folklore* (2020) in a substantial way.

Matthew Good Band “The War is Over”

I’ve shuffled this before, and the primary reason I share it here again is because, contrary to the now absurd argument posed in the song’s title, the war is obviously not in any way remotely what a reasonable person would consider to be completely and/or finally over.

Black Sabbath - “War Pigs”

I don’t know and refuse to look up the lyrics to this song. It’s a classic metal/rock anthem from the days when nobody cared what you believed or who you supported—all that mattered was “givin’ ‘er” and — also ironically — going through life in Canada “elbows way up.”

Cover of Journal of a Solitude (1992) by May Sarton, published by W. W. Norton & Company

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MARCH 12

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Bubbling Bliss: A Fermentation Fiesta @Student Experience Lounge (S1111), UFV Abbotsfotrd 04:00PM  06:00PM Learn to Crochet - Intro Class @Sub Clubhouse, UFV Abbotsford Campus 6:30PM  08:30PM Documentary Screening-Can’t Stop Change @Student Union Building in the Dining Hall (S2103) Abbotsford Campus, 33844 King Road 07:00PM  09:00PM Culture City : “Un P’Tit Truce en Plus” @Highstreet: Cineplex VIP Cinemas, 3122 Mount Lehman Rd Unit J200 25 12:00PM  01:30PM

11:00AM  03:00PM 2025 Career Fair @Evered Hall, SUB, UFV Abbotsford Campus 01:00PM  02:30PM Library For All @ Chilliwack Library, 45860 First Ave.

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07:00PM  11:00PM

Friday Night Blues Jam @Eagles Hall, 33868 Essendene Ave, Abbotsford

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07:00PM

St. Paddy’s Night : Abbotsford Canucks Vs. Calgary Wranglersr @Abbotsford Centre, 33800 King Rd. The Good Sauna x Field House Brewing @ Field House Brewing, 2281 W Railway St. Abottsford

11:00AM  04:00PM

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Science Cafe: Breathe @UFV Chilliwack Campus Library, Caen Ave. 06:00PM  08:00PM Trivia Night @Old Yale Brewing, Abbotsford, 33738 Laurel St 12:00PM  01:30PM

20 07:00PM  11:00PM

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Silent Disco @Evered Hall, S Building (ABBY CAMPUS) 33844 King Road, Abbotsford

09:00AM  12:00PM The Yellow Ribbon Run Canada @Mill Lake, 2310 Emerson St., Abbotsford 12:00PM  04:00PM Pup Picnic @Taves Estate Cidery, 333 Gladwin Road, Abbotsford

06:00PM  09:00PM Trivia Night @Old Yale Brewing, Abbotsford, 33738 Laurel St

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10:00AM  11:00AM Public Board Meeting @S3103 - Board Room, S Building, 33844 King Road

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06:00PM  09:00PM SUS C&A Awards Gala @UFV Student Union Society, 33844 King Road, Abbotsford 07:00PM Macbeth @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre’s Rotary Hall Theatre

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01:00PM  04:00PM 07:00PM

Open Studio @The Reach Gallery Museum, 32388 Veterans Way Early Vegetables & Herbs with Brian Minter @ Minter Country Garden

NOTE: Some of the events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the Internet for more details, including those about any safety measures for in-person events.

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