VOL. 4 NO. 1
October 2015
P1
The Race to the Cure by REBECCA WONG
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n 30 September 2015, all students at MGCI, along with millions of others throughout Canada, took part in the annual Terry Fox Run, celebrating the legacy of the man who ran 5373 km across eastern and central Canada to raise money to find a cure for cancer. This year marked Canada’s 35th Terry Fox Run; 35 years after Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope. Having been in charge of the school’s run for the past 11 years, Mr. Fox ran this year’s event as well. The run began at 9:30 am, when students were called down by grade to the cafeteria. There, they watched a video about Terry’s life and listened to a brief presentation by the MGCI Cancer Society. Afterwards, the students walked or ran the 3 km route that went through the valley next to the Ontario Science Centre, through ET Seton Park, and back to the school. Students of the Grade 11 Leadership class helped run the event by directing students along the route, and encouraging runners along the way. One of the leadership students, Afra Patel, supports the cause because Terry Fox “did a lot for Canada. He spent his dying months raising money for cancer research.”
Students run in support of the Terry Fox foundation. Photo: Cindy Cui
See TERRY FOX on P2
Fixing Canada’s Elections
Scholarships – An Unequal Playing Field
OP-ED by DANIEL PEKAR
by DAVID HAO
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here has been much talk of reforming Canada’s voting system on a federal level. The current system is “First Past the Post” (FPTP). The riding candidate with the most votes wins, and the party with the most winning candidates forms the government. Seems fair, right? That’s what Stephen Harper and his Conservatives would want you to think. Harper has been the most opposed to change because he has the largest chance to succeed only in an election broken by FPTP. Since 2006, they have kept a minority rule, where a minority of people have a majority of the power, and they are attempting to do it again. Imagine an election between three candidates where the vote is split 34% to 33% and 33%. The candidate with 34% wins and has 100% control despite 66% of votes being against them; this is not proportional. Only once in the last 35 years has representation in parliament been within 10 percentage points of the popular vote for the government [1]. Voters are also encouraged to vote strategically for larger parties as voting for smaller parties is worthless when they inevitable lose: the spoiler effect. FPTP doesn’t represent what Canadians want. See ELECTIONS on P5
Girls’ Field Hockey by CHENG CHENG LIN
O See INFOGRAPHIC on P2
ART on P7 and P8
n 6 October 2015, the MGCI Girl’s Varsity Field Hockey team played their first game against Humberside Collegiate Institute at the Cherry Beach Field, ending with a final score of 4-0 for Humberside. The first half of the game began roughly, with Humberside scoring their four goals throughout the period. However, the girls came back stronger in the second half, even obtaining three runs down the sidelines. See HOCKEY on P2
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very year, universities and foundations lay out the red carpet to handsomely reward the next generation’s leaders and humanitarians. A few keywords always recur in the application criteria for scholarships. Leadership, community involvement, and initiative consistently top the list of phrases used to describe a desired candidate for major scholarships. It is clear, then, that being a successful public figure is the ticket to success. But what about the rest of us? If scholarships exist to reward deserving students, then their current design is flawed. Scholarship criteria overlook a significant pool of talent and strongly favour candidates of a very specific breed. There is strong bias towards extroverts over introverts, even though a significant portion of the population identifies with the latter. Anyone who doesn’t fall into the cookie-cutter definition of an ideal candidate won’t stand a chance in the system, regardless of their actual merits and personal achievements. The criteria for Canada’s largest and most prestigious scholarships, such as the Loran, TD, and the National Scholarship all have one thing in common: they want someone with strong academics, who is a leader that has made an impact on their community. While that’s fair, a student may be talented in many ways that don’t fall under these categories. For example, a student may be a very insightful writer who maintains a blog with many readers, or a talented artist whose work has never been properly exhibited beyond his or her own workspace. How-
ever, because the achievements of these students are not as publicly prominent, their response to prompts such as “Describe your most significant volunteer contribution” may not be as impressive as the response of a peer who is the leader of multiple clubs. You may argue that we’re attempting to compare apples and oranges, and that these other students should just seek out offerings that are more appropriate for them. However, the solution is not as simple as this, because there are simply far fewer opportunities for these students compared to opportunities present for the “ideal candidate.” To illustrate this point, we’ve scoured various institutions and universities across Canada for scholarship offerings, ranging from academic to artistic, and created a word cloud based on the keywords of their application criteria. In a word cloud, the more frequently a word appears in the source material, the larger the word. As you can see, “community” is the largest, followed closely by “leadership.” “Involvement” and “entrepreneurial” are two other prominent words. Scholarships for students with less visible talents do exist, but they’re far less common than those that cater towards the typical extrovert. The bias towards Type-As and extroverts is embedded in our society. We consider people that keep to themselves secluded and anti-social, and laud “people people” for their natural ability to socialize and converse. Scholarships are a reflection of this. See SCHOLARSHIP on P4
NUIT BLANCHE P6 Download our free Android app!
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P2
VOL. 4 NO. 1
October 2015
NEWS
Running for a Cause
INFOGRAPHIC Continued from P1
TERRY FOX Continued from P1
MGCI established a fundraising goal of $3500. Homeroom teachers began collecting donations a week before the run, asking each student to contribute a “Toonie for Terry”. SAC held a henna stand in the cafeteria throughout the week, charging $1 for a design. On the day of the event, SAC charged students $1 to participate in other activities in the cafeteria and gym. They had the opportunity to participate in a donut eating contest, a basketball three-point shot competition, and a game of musical chairs. The large crowds that gathered around the activities indi-
cated the success of the events. 100% of the proceeds from SAC’s activities and student donations will go directly to the Terry Fox Foundation. It has not yet been determined how much money was raised. Overall, the Terry Fox Run was a rewarding experience. The run allowed students to enjoy the weather outside with their peers, and raised awareness about Terry’s accomplishments and his cause. Mr. Fox believes that Terry Fox would “be proud to see people from all over the world partaking in something he started 35 years ago and keeping his dream alive.” ■
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Photos: Cindy Cui
Mrs. O’Flynn-Wheeler by DEIFILIA TO
A: Honeymoon.
about academics, or about social/emotional
knows how to get things done.
A: Unfortunately, because university is so
A: Yellow.
the mentors you gain. Even as you begin to get new mentors, try to transition your old ones.
Q: If you could be a mixture of any two ani- things, there is always someone, and you can mals, what would they be? find them. A: I would be partly cat, because a cat knows Q: How would that advice differ if you gave how to relax. I would also partly be a Jack it to a college or university student? Would it Russell Terrier because a Jack Russell really stay the same?
Q: If you could paint your entire house one co- vast, it takes a while to really connect with lour, what would it be? some of the adults. But I would say don’t lose Q: Any particular reason why?
A: Just because it’s bright, and reminds me of Q: Have you had any particular mentors in sunlight. your past that makes you share this? Q: If you could create the title of a novel that A: Yes, yes I have.
summarizes your life, what would that title Q: If you are willing, can you share one awkbe? ward encounter or experience you’ve had as A: With every change comes learning, with an educator? learning comes growth. Mrs. O’Flynn-Wheeler, a vice principal at MGCI. Photo: Valiant Chan
A: [Ponders] I’m sure there are many. I sup-
Q: On a scale of 1 to 10, how adventurous are pose even coming to Marc Garneau, I try to you? learn everyone’s names as soon as I can. Be-
A: In terms of career changes, very, so 9. In cause it’s such a big school, I haven’t met evterms of a risk taker, physically, I would say 6. eryone. On occasion, I have called someone by rs. O’Flynn-Wheeler is a new vice prin- Q: What about how creative you are? the wrong name. They’ve been good at forgivcipal at our school. We sat down with A: 8. ing me. That’s going to be a bit awkward, but her to ask her some trivia, and discussed her Q: If you could be any type of fish, what would natural.
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many years of experience as an educator.
you be?
Q: Do you make this effort with students as
A: I would be a goldfish because they always well, or primarily with the staff? Q: How long have you worked as an educator? hang out with each other and are surrounded A: Oh yeah, with students. My last school was A: About 26 years. by their peers. a very small school, and I knew everyone by Q: How many schools have you worked at? Q: [Laughs] I’m guessing you’re an extrovert? name. A: 8. A: No, I’m an introvert. I’m an introvert, be- Q: What is one of your unexpected quirks that Q: Have you been a VP or a principal at any cause I get most of my energy by myself. I don’t you have that students might be surprised at? other schools before? know if you’ve ever heard the great quotation A: My sense of humour. A: Yes, I was a vice principal at Frank Oak Sec- for introverts, “People empty me, I need to go Q: If you could remove any letter from the alondary School. It’s a really wonderful school away to refill.” I’m a truer introvert, but I can phabet, which letter would it be? for students with special needs. fake extroversion. A: X.
Q: Are there any particular reasons why you Q: If you could hide in any room of the school Q: Why X? came to Garneau? for a game of hide and seek, where would you A: Because in any name, it’s hard to proA: Yes, I wanted to come to a school just like hide? nounce. Marc Garneau, with lots of diversity and kids A: Probably in the nurse’s office. There’s a bed Q: What is one thing that has pleasantly surand of course, challenging academics. in there. prised you about the school so far? Q: What is one of your pet peeves? Q: Throughout your many years of experience A: What has surprised me in a really good way A: People who think the worst of people. as an educator, what is one piece of advice that is the politeness of the students. Something Q: What is your most exotic travel destination you would give to any high school student? that has surprised me in a negative way is the so far? A: At your lowest moment, even if you think strange numbering of classroom doors. ■ A: Costa Rica.
that you can’t share something with someone, there is always someone you can talk to. Be it
Q: Was it on vacation?
MGCI Scoreboard Team
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Junior Girls Basketball
0 2 0
Senior Girls Basketball
0 2 0
Junior Boys Soccer
4 0 0
Senior Boys Soccer
2
1 0
Varsity Girls Field 0 2 0 Hockey Junior Boys Volleyball
Pre-season
Senior Boys Volleyball
Pre-season
MGCI Girls’ Field Hockey Game at Cherry Beach HOCKEY Continued from P1 “We’re very proud of the girls,” said Ms. Bhandarkar, on behalf of her and Mr. Bowers: the team’s coaches. “Considering we didn’t have any subs for this game, it was really impressive how the girls kept pushing themselves until the end.” Because of a variety of conflicts, the Girl’s Field Hockey team had been forced to play with only eleven players: the bare minimum for a team. For many of the players, this was their first field hockey game. “We were definitely short players,” commented Cheng Cheng Lin, the team’s captain, “and while we still have some work to do in terms of positioning, I think this was an impressive first game for the team.” While the game against Humberside was not the first scheduled game for the Girl’s Field Hockey team’s season, it is the first the girls have played; a scheduled game on 1 October was forfeited because many of the players
were attending the Stratford Festivals. With a short season, the team has two games left: one on 8 October against Leaside, and another on 13 October against Monarch Park. Hoping to be able to qualify for playoffs, the girls need to win the next two games for a chance to qualify. ■
Despite a rough start, the team hopes to win the next two games to qualify for playoffs. Photo courtesy of Ms. Bhandarkar
www.thereckoner.ca
October 2015
VOL. 4 NO. 1
P3
NEWS A Cup of Tea with the President by ARANI KULAMURUGAN and JULIE XIAO
The Freshmen Club by CHENG CHENG LIN and MEI YI NIU
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he Reckoner sat down with SAC president Ejay Vidad elaborated on a day in life of a Ejay Vidad, who gave insight on SAC’s SAC president. He spends time in the morngoals for the year. ing updating social media and responding to student comments, complaints, or concerns. According to Vidad, the most difficult part of the job is answering the questions of students. “I didn’t know how many people came to Maria (the former president) for questioning.” He commented, “Overall, just how involved the president has to be in terms of questions, making sure things are clarified, has surprised me.” Throughout this year, he is focusing on supporting the Grade 9s. “Most times they have questions because it is their first time coming to high school, so I try my best just to show them around and give them a sense of what it’s like to be in high school. Typically they ask about school clubs, athletics, ways to get involved.” The absence of Mr. Alexander this year, SAC’s previous staff advisor, has also caused SAC to be more independent and less reliant on external support. As this year’s council is primarily composed of new members, SAC is seeking to change up their system. “[New] advice on how to deal with the council has helped in me in rebranding, setting the guidelines, and following protocol. Meetings are Photo: Matthew Tse
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more efficient and we take less time to debate what we’re talking about.” said Vidad. This year, Vidad wishes to change SAC from the previously branded Student Inactivity Council, and transform it into a group of people who want to get involved with the school. Not only does he want to recreate the image of SAC, but that of MGCI. He seeks to raise the reputation of MGCI, creating a school where students are proud of both the school spirit, and individual people in the community. This year, SAC has run the grade 9 “Moving On Up” orientation and organized the Terry Fox Fundraiser for cancer research during lunch in the cafeteria and gym. To encourage student participation, SAC is planning to create more outlets for people to get their voice heard. Vidad proposed the idea of using the SAC office as a “town hall” where students could come anytime. Open meetings will also be held this year with the new option of an online question forum where students can drop in their questions. SAC will also use advertising to make students more aware of upcoming events in collaboration with Spirit Committee. Overviews of SAC meetings, held every Tuesday, can be found on their Facebook page. ■
Ms.Woodley Hit the Ground Running
by DAVID HAO
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s. Woodley teaches grade 11 and 12 law at MGCI. We spoke to her about her experiences with life and teaching at the school. Due to space constraints, this interview is abridged. The full transcript of the conversation can be found online at thereckoner.ca.
Q: Share an awkward moment you’ve had as a teacher?
A: Which one can I share? Awkward for myself or for the student? A: I had a student, at a parent-teacher interview, whose dad once told me that he had a relative that was single. That was a little awkward. Like, by the way, do you have somebody? Would you want to date? As for students, because that one was for me, an embarrassing student one would be… uh, I would have to come back to that one. Some of them I don’t want to share. I plead the fifth!
A: I don’t think I hate any genre. Because to each their own, if it’s what they like and Q: What do you teach? somebody derives happiness from whatever A: Students, I teach students. type of music who am I to say it’s not a good Q: (Laughter) What courses do you teach? type of music but what I wouldn’t listen to is A: Currently I teach Grade 11 law and Grade heavy metal, like hardcore heavy metal but 12 law. I wouldn’t say I hate it. Ms. Woodley in elementary school.
Q: How long have you taught at MGCI? A: This is my third year at this school.
Q: What is your favourite food establishment in the community?
Q: What is something students might not A: Ohh, Bamiyan Kabob! know about your department? Q: Describe yourself in five words. A: We’re fun! Our department can sometimes get a bad rep for being too hard or we mark too hard but I think it is because we have very high expectations. There is a lot of integrity in this department. But we love to joke around and hang out. We’re genuinely friends. Something raunchy though? What secret can I give away?
A: Can I say what I’ve been told? I’ve been told I’m witty, I’m personable, I’m sociable, I am a social introvert – I can be very social when I need to be, when I don’t need to be I like my time alone. So I suppose witty, sociable introvert, funny, chill.
Q: If you could give a single piece of advice to any student in this school, what would it Q: How about some nicknames you guys be? have given yourselves? A: Give everything and everybody a chance. A: I can’t tell you the nicknames we have given ourselves, but it is the Canadian World Studies department. But we have a few pet names we like to call each other, those cannot be revealed.
Oftentimes we hear things, we make judgements based on what we hear. Your understanding and your stories are always going to be different from everybody else’s. So give yourself a chance, to kinda make that Q: We’re also going to ask a few informal judgement.
questions. What’s your pet peeve?
A: Uh… oh! Cupboard doors being left open. I don’t get why when somebody goes into a cupboard and takes something out then doesn’t close the cupboard afterwards. And people who are unwilling to give something a chance or a second chance.
Q: What’s your favourite nerdy pastime?
A: When I watch a movie, and it refers back to like a historical event or something that I don’t know about, I like researching it, so I know more about it. So sometimes it takes me like 5 hours to watch a 2 hour movie or a TV show. ■
by JASMINE KANG and MEGAN NIU
Photo: Jenna Wong
Q: What would you want students to take away from your classes?
Q: What’s your most hated genre of music?
igh school: an imposing place filled with strangers and crowded hallways. Bisma Murtaza and Nabila Murkhtar, two grade nine students at Marc Garneau, wanted to make new students feel more comfortable in this new and large environment. So, they created the Freshmen Club. Held in Room 248 every Thursday after school from 3:15 to 4:15 pm, the club offers Grade 9 students the opportunity to meet other freshmen and escape the stresses of high school. The first meeting for the club was held on 1 October 2015. The club operates on a drop-in basis and is supervised by Ms. Jamal, a guidance counselor at MGCI, and Charuka, a youth worker at the Hincks-Dellcrest centre. All grade nine students are welcome to attend meetings and participate in the activities. “This is a club only for grade nines,” said Murkhtar, “As we are new to the school, the club is for relaxing and having fun.” Currently, the Freshmen Club is still in its planning phase, deciding on its schedule for the next five weeks. Though it is not finalized, the plans include playing soccer, watching movies, talking, and arts and crafts. As supervisors, Charuka and Ms. Jamal offer a source of support for the students, especially if they are more comfortable talking in a club environment than in a guidance counselor’s office. The Freshmen Club is meant to create an environment of openness that is free from judgement. After the first two meetings, the club has roughly twelve members, and is always open to more freshmen who would like to join. When interviewed, participants stated that they joined because it seemed like an interesting and relaxing way to spend time. Though the club has already started, the two founders are still encouraging more students in their grade to join by putting up posters and advertising on Facebook. It is unclear if the Freshmen Club will open up to more than just Grade 9 students in the future. Murtaza and Mukhtar plan to observe the success of their club first, before making any decisions. “There’s just a unique feeling to being in Grade 9,” said Ms. Jamal, talking about the club, “All the members here experience it, I remember experiencing it, and that’s what makes this club special.” ■
Playoffs Begin for MGCI’s Flag Football Intramurals
Q: Up to you.
A: In all classes, to understand that learning isn’t passive. You really have to be an active part in what you are doing in order to enjoy it. I want them to not see me necessarily as a teacher but more as a facilitator and someone who is just there to start the conversation. I hope what they take away from that is being responsible for their own learning.
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by VARUN VENKATARAMANAN
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he adventure of running through hills, forests, and mountains, as well as the thrill of feeling the wind rush past your ears as you run down a hill are only two of the reasons why cross country runners love the sport. Cross country is long distance running through any terrain. For TDSB meets, the distance varies with age and gender, ranging from 3.5 km to 7 km. The cross country season itself is three months long and consists of at least three races. To participate in the regional finals, runners are required to run in two mini-meets. The top four teams and five individuals from Regionals qualify for the City Championships held every year in Centennial Park. Only the top runners from Cities move on to the provincial championships (OFSAA). In the last few years, Garneau has had at least one runner quality for this prestigious competition. Cross country can be extremely competitive. Most runners train an average of three times a week, while more committed runners train between 4-7 times a week, mixing endurance, hill, and interval training. MGCI’s Cross Country Team, coached by Mr. Pearce and Ms. Tharshan, consists of 12 runners. They practice as a team two times a week after school, but all runners are required to run at least once more on their own time. In September, they participated in a mini meet at Stan Wadlow Park and finished strongly, with four runners in the top 20 for their respective races. The runners also performed well at their subsequent race earlier this month at Warden Woods. Next, the team will compete at the South/West Regional Finals on 20 October at Sunnybrook Park, with hopes of moving on to the Regional Championships. ■
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he first round of MGCI’s flag football intramural playoffs began during the lunch period on Wednesday, 7 October. Two teams won the first round of playoffs: Godfathers and EEEEE. The tournament included twelve teams, with six to seven players per team. The four highest-scoring teams in the pre-playoffs each received a bypass and were not required to compete in the first round of the playoffs. If weather is agreeable, and no other unforeseen circumstances arise, the finals for the tournament will take place on Thursday, 16 October. “The purpose of this event is to get kids [more involved in] physical activity,” said Mr. Hillman. “It’s also great for people who want to play football in a sort of league style.” The committee that organized the flag football intramural was headed by MGCI’s Athletic Convener, Hajra Arif. She said, “We are more prepared this year. Last year, the Athletic Convener carried most of the burden herself. ” She stated that the council was very active on social media. “We could’ve made more announcements, though.” Arif added. The most promising teams before the playoffs, according to Arif, were Dig Big and Chodus. They are both teams composed of grade 12 students. Sohaib Talat, the captain of Dig Big, said that his team had no general strategy. “We play football after school for fun.” He added, “It would be good to win... [the team] is in grade 12, it’s our final year.” ■
The Reckoner of Marc Garneau C.I.
EDITOR IN CHIEF DAVID HAO
MEDIA MANAGER VALIANT CHAN
DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF & LIFE MANAGER CINDY ZENG
DIRECTOR OF PRINT DEVELOPMENT SHELA QIU
NEWS MANAGER DEIFILIA TO
OUTREACH MANAGER SOPHIA SONG
EDITORIAL MANAGER PARNIKA GODKHINDI
DIRECTOR OF WEB DEVELOPMENT MICHAEL KIM
P4
October 2015
VOL. 4 NO. 1
EDITORIAL The Chumps Voting Trump
The Scholarship VIP List SCHOLARSHIP Continued from P1
OP-ED by VICTOR YU
Illustration: Jeffrey Liu
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onald Trump — he’s currently the hottest topic of discussion in American politics. Trump is gaining popularity as a presidential candidate, and is consistently performing well in polls. The question is, why do so many people view Trump as a solid candidate to lead the Republican Party and the United States? With a strong sense of patriotism, Trump asserts his ideas confidently and honestly. He isn’t afraid to speak out, regardless of how outrageous his opinions are. Trump’s transparency makes him seem like an open book, whereas people are still skeptical about what other candidates say. In the eyes of American citizens, Trump’s personality is representative of the ideal American. The Americans want change, but is Donald Trump a change for the better? Trump’s views are so radical and absurd, it is comical. His stance on the Syrian refugees is disheartening: comparing the acceptance of refugees to a Trojan horse — suggesting that harmless refugees coming to America could be a terrorist plot involving ISIS — is ridiculous. Not only that, he has even stated that if elect-
ed president, he would send the refugees back. Trump is effectively suggesting that people in certain countries are more often than not terrorists. Actions like these support discrimination and enforce the stereotypes of terrorism. The way Trump acts towards the media is impulsive, and the credibility of his words is questionable. Many of the statements made by Trump are rash, and often downright incorrect. Take the Syrian refugees, for example: Trump claimed that most of the refugees arriving in America would be able-bodied men, capable of fighting. In reality, the Syrian refugees are part of a balanced demographic: the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says around half are female and around half are under 17. Trump’s strong assertions, accompanied with his artificial facts, are compelling enough to influence unaware citizens into believing him. Another point of controversy is Trump’s suggestion of a border wall dividing USA and Mexico. Trump suggests that many illegal immigrants are entering the United States across the Mexican border, and that a lot of them are killers, rapists, or drug dealers. This is a silly proposition that is based on more racist stereotypes: Mexicans aren’t significantly more likely to turn out to be rapists or criminals. This idiocy was not completely neglected, as NBC fired Trump from his TV show after he was condemned by the public for his actions. Nevertheless, Trump still insists that he is correct, which reveals his immature and headstrong personality. Donald Trump has made innumerable audacious comments about other people, even other candidates. Regarding fellow candidate Carly Fiorina, Trump said, “Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?” Trump quickly realized his mistake, but rather than owning up to it, he made the excuse that he was referring to her persona, not her appearance. When discussing his Mexican wall proposal, Trump casually stated, “Mexico has not treated us well. Mexico treats us as though we are stupid people, which
of course our leaders are.” Trump is far too comfortable spewing his disrespectful language, and these childish jabs towards others only reflect Trump’s inadequacy in a position of power. If Trump is ruthlessly making derogatory remarks towards his fellow candidates, nothing is stopping him from unintentionally offending other political leaders and starting conflicts. The citizens of the United States need to understand that politics isn’t a game. The president of the United States is the most important representative of the country, and Donald Trump is the last person I would choose to represent any country. Of course, some voters have already realized how crazy the idea of having Trump as president is. Others believe that having Trump elected could reveal the flaws in the American system of government, and reveal the true corruption hidden inside of it; instead of abstaining, perhaps it would be better to have the government crash and burn to prove a point. However, these voters underestimate the impact of the government on a country — they are asking for a big collapse in the government, which could lead to ruined public affairs or a crashing economy. These fantasies of instantaneous political reform are just as far-fetched as Trump’s own plans for the future, and these fanatical American citizens must realize this. That being said, voters need to keep in mind that Trump has not won the Republican election yet. There are plenty of other Republican presidential candidates that share similar ideologies with Trump, but without the negative publicity. If voters take the time to research, perhaps they may actually find a candidate more suited to their liking. It’s time for Americans to wake up and see through the guise of Trump. As he once said about another candidate, I will say the same about him. Look at his face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of their next president? Well I can, and it isn’t pretty. But of course, I’m referring to his persona, not his appearance. ■
Even when scholarship criteria do not explicitly favour extroverts, they often gain the upper hand anyway due to the structure of the selection system. People who can express themselves more eloquently often perform better in interviews. Even in offerings where extroversion is not critical for success, such as research positions or internships, selection often boils down to who can leave the greatest impression in an interview. Extroverts, usually the ones with better speaking skills, are favoured, even when personality is irrelevant. Private foundations such as Loran have the right to favour whomever they desire, be it personality type, ethnicity, or even gender. Often, they are in fact searching for a very specific type of candidate, one that advances their own private agendas. However, universities have a responsibility as educational institutions to provide equal opportunities to all deserving students. The major university entry scholarships in Canada, such as University of Toronto’s National Scholarship or Queen’s University’s Chancellor’s Scholarship, receive the most applicants, yet their criteria disadvantage a significant portion of qualified candidates. Scholarships should offer more equitable representation for students of all talents and abilities, so that they shouldn’t
feel pushed to lead superficial charity clubs or whimsical community initiatives in order to appear competitive. It’s true that widening criteria to allow for a fairer playing field will result in more work for the institutions that handle selection. There simply aren’t enough resources to grant every applicant a chance to fully present themselves, limiting the scope of a candidate’s work to what can be written down on paper. However, universities should still do their best to construct more open-ended scholarship applications. For instance, one prompt on the Chancellor’s Scholarship simply provides the applicant with a page of free space and allows them to use it however they see fit. This is a good example of flexible design to showcase creativity and innovative thinking. Universities need to demonstrate a willingness to reward promising students from all fields of achievement. Tomorrow’s leaders and entrepreneurs certainly deserve to be recognized for their public achievements, but this should not be the focus for all scholarship criteria. Universities need to dedicate more resources to honour those who speak softly, as these people are far too often overlooked. Reward should be determined by merit, not by whoever is yelling the loudest. ■
Photo: Sophia Liu
OP-ED by LAWRENCE PANG
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very year, thousands of students from across the world write the College Board’s SAT, in hopes of getting accepted into a top American university. The SAT, one of the staples of the university application process, currently consists of three sections: reading, writing, and mathematics, with an essay forming part of the writing section. The SAT is supposed to be a fair and accurate indicator of the basic academic abilities of a student. The test is standardized across all testing locations and contains a variety of question types, from improving sentences to analyzing long passages. However, the reality is that the SAT doesn’t truly test for understanding. Out of all three sections, writing is the least accurate measure of students’ actual abilities. The majority of the SAT’s writing section is concerned with nitpicking grammar rules, many of which are simply ignored in everyday writing and speech. It makes no sense to attribute so much importance to something which is rarely consciously applied in real life. Even more problematic than the writing section’s grammar questions is the essay. In theory, the essay tests how well students communicate their ideas, but this is not the case. The most significant factor in an SAT essay score is the length of the essay, which any English teacher will tell you is completely irrelevant to
the quality of the writing. Graders are explicitly instructed to read essays only once, and some are so “good” at marking essays that they can guess the score just by looking at the size and shape of the essay. The SAT essay fails to test for many important elements of writing: writing quality, logical rigor, factual accuracy, and creative writing ability, to name a few. One might dismiss this as a fault of all standardized tests, but a look at College Board’s own AP English Language or Literature sample essays reveals writing of a far higher standard that is marked accordingly. Similar issues exist in the other sections of the SAT. The “difficult” math problems don’t require particular ingenuity or creativity, save that the concepts required to solve them aren’t explicitly mentioned in the curriculum. By focusing on breadth of knowledge rather than depth of thinking, the SAT fails to test for the problem-solving skills which are so crucial in actual mathematical thinking. Similarly, the reading section is rigged to present two very similar options to make students guess wrong. The wrong option often contains information that a reader would naturally infer but isn’t actually mentioned in the text – in other words, the SAT discourages critical reading and thinking. Put all this together, and it’s no sur-
prise that the SAT gives little indication of students’ actual abilities. The founder of the Princeton Review offered this damning indictment of the SAT: “Does it measure intelligence? No. Does it predict college grades? No. Does it tell you how much you learned in high school? No. Does it predict life happiness or life success in any measure? No. It’s measuring nothing.” To be fair, College Board recognizes that the SAT has shortcomings. The new SAT, set to roll out in January 2016, does make some positive changes. The vocabulary section is being eliminated, addressing criticisms that most of the SAT’s vocabulary words are rarely used in actual writing. The essay section is optional – but most top colleges will require it anyway. Ultimately, these slight improvements do nothing to alleviate the primary issue: the SAT does not test for anything that really counts. Indeed, it is bizarre and hypocritical that top universities, which pride themselves on educating well-rounded, critical thinkers, place so much importance on a test which focuses only on narrow aspects of math and English and which actively discourages critical thinking. Significant improvements, on a completely different scale from those made by the new SAT, need to be implemented. The biggest changes must be made to
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the essay. While the new SAT extends the time allotted to the essay from 25 to 50 minutes, which is a step in the right direction, more remains to be done. Graders must avoid judging essays by length or within the boundaries of some pre-determined formulaic structure. More time has to be given to grade essays as well. If this means having fewer tests throughout the year, so be it. Furthermore, less importance should be given to the application of grammar and more to actual writing quality. While this could involve judgments on behalf of graders which might compromise objectivity, it is not as if the current SAT is a particularly objective measure of writing skill anyway. In the math section, test writers should turn to the opposite of their current strategy: don’t look for broad knowledge of mathematical facts but instead test for depth of understanding with questions that require actual
thinking to solve. And when it comes to reading, answers designed to “throw you off” should be eliminated – it is incredibly cynical and negative for College Board to deliberately mislead students. The whole point of having the SAT, or any standardized test, is so universities have a fair benchmark by which to judge students. But this cannot be done if the test itself is fundamentally flawed. The old adage says “Play stupid games, win stupid prizes” – the SAT is a stupid game, but college admission is far from a stupid prize. As it stands, the SAT is a waste of time for students and universities alike. ■ http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/04/education/sat-essay-test-rewards-length-and-ignoreserrors.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/ shows/sats/interviews/katzman.html https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat
Illustration: Amy Yan
October 2015
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VOL. 4 NO. 1
EDITORIAL Stealing the Spotlight - The Niqab Debate
I’m kinda lonely and bored. What is the most YOLO thing you recommend doing that is (somewhat) “acceptable” at school? - A Banana Cat Dog Elephant
OP-ED by SAEEJITH NAIR
W
ith the 19 October federal election date looming just around the corner, the campaign trail is feverish with activity, more so than ever before. Political parties are constantly trying to nudge their way ahead of the opposition in an attempt to gain more than the approximate one third percentage of votes that were being predicted by polls. The latest strategy being employed, this time by the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois, is the widespread promotion of an anti niqab sentiment. The success of this tactic is quite surprising, because frankly, the niqab is not an issue. Don’t get me wrong: I realize that for millions of people around the world and many in Canada, the niqab is an item of great personal importance. However, there is absolutely no reason for it to become the center of our political debate. Parties are only bringing this up as an opportunity to score quick points in an extremely tight race. And as Canadians, we should be smart enough to recognize the niqab debate for what it truly is – a political gambit. Unfortunately, as recent polls show, this isn’t the case. According to a Nanos Poll released on 5 October 2015, the NDP has dropped down to 22.8% [1] as opposed to the 31% [2] of votes that was predicted by the same poll back on 24 September 2015. A significant portion of this decline can be attributed to the extreme backlash suffered by the NDP in their onetime stronghold of Québec – an incident
that occurred after their stance on the niqab was questioned by the Conservatives during the French language debates on 24 September 2015 and 2 October 2015. Unlike Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, who hope to ban face coverings at citizenship ceremonies, the stance of Thomas Mulcair and the New Democrats are to continue with the status quo. The current policy, which has been recently upheld by the Federal Court of Appeal, requires anyone who wishes to gain citizenship to uncover their face in order to identify themselves, after which they can swear the citizenship oath in accordance with their religious beliefs. Not only is the NDP stance reasonable, but to do otherwise would be unconstitutional. And yet, Canadians seem to be changing their political stripe over an issue that directly affects less than 1% of the total population. This is quite baffling because it shows that Canadians are getting more politically excited by inconsequential issues like the niqab rather than concrete issues that affect the entire population. Over the course of the first half of the 11 week campaign, when issues such as the economy, foreign policy, environment, taxes, and infrastructure were being
To answer your question, why not turn to the answer to life, the universe and pretty much absolutely everything? 42? Ha. No. The right answer: pickup lines. Pickup lines are the perfect solution to your loneliness and desire for YOLO-type activity. The best thing about pickup lines is that they’re so flexible! You can do whatever you want with them. Fancy something sciencey? Try: “Are you made of flourine, iodine and neon? ‘Cause you are FINe.” Into books? “I don’t have a library card, but do you mind if I check you out?” Need caffeine? “Do you work at Starbucks? Because I like you a latte.” ...And I’m just getting started.
many. Thus, when Canadians go to the ballot boxes to exercise their democratic rights on 19 October, their choice of candidate should be influenced by the party’s stance on the core issues that run a nation, and not by trivialities. ■
discussed, m o s t polls showed the parties being tied within the margin of errors of the respective polls. It was only when certain parties started putting more emphasis on non-issues like the niqab (through political attack ads, media confer- [1] http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/election/ ences, and leaders debates), that the liberals-emerging-with-lead-ndp-sliding-conpolitical landscape gained momen- servatives-steady-nanos-tracking-1.2595031 http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/election/ tum. This, however, is unfortunate, [2] national-election-race-a-toss-up-for-14thbecause the deciding factor in a federal straight-day-1.2578544 election should not be one that affects the few, but rather, one that affects the Illustration: Sheri Kim
Winner Takes All Means Canada Loses ELECTIONS Continued from P1
Infographic: Lila Huang But have no fear, the Liberals are here to save the day with their proposed instant runoff voting, also called the alternative vote (AV). This system supposedly fixes the problems of FPTP and creates a proportionally represented parliament. At least, that’s what the Liberals want you to think. AV is barely better than FPTP, it
still retains most of the problems. In AV, voters rank their choices. The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed to the second choices. This continues until a candidate has more than 50% of the vote and wins. This avoids the spoiler effect as voters can rank their favourite parties first but still rank
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the larger parties second. This might seem better, but AV is still not proportional. Simulations of the recent UK election show that if AV were used, it would have had minimal impact on changing the minority rule. [2] In Australia, where they use AV, larger parties still have exaggerated amount of seats. [3] The reason why the Liberals champion this system is because it encourages parties to be very similar to one another and have centrist policies. After all, voters on the left wing are much more likely to list a centrist party as their second choice as opposed to a right wing party. So, with the Conservatives endorsing a broken system, and the Liberals proposing a broken fix, what other option is there? The answer: Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP), the system favoured by the NDP and the Green Party. This system is specifically designed to be as proportional as possible. MMP gives voters two votes. One vote is for the riding, and it follows the same process as FPTP: the candidate with the most votes wins. About 50% of parliament is filled up this way. The second vote has voters vote for their favourite party on a nationwide scale. The remaining seats are used to make parliament represent this vote as closely as possible. In this case, every vote counts - more votes mans more seats for that party. MMP avoids the spoiler effect, as there is no incentive for strategic voting. Political diversity is encouraged as smaller parties get representation. Finally, it prevents minority rule because it is a proportional system, meaning that parties need a majority of the vote to gain a majority of the power. While it is true that no system is perfect, the only argument against MMP is that it requires party lists and encourages partisanship. Party lists are required because that is
how the members who win their seats from the popular vote are elected: if a party wins 10 seats, then the top 10 members on ranked list get into parliament. This allows parties to reward those MPs who vote for whatever their party wants. Theoretically, this means members are less likely to vote how their constituents would want them to vote, and instead vote how the party dictates them to vote. Let’s put this in context by checking the facts on the two most rogue voting MPs in parliament. Bruce Hyer voted against the majority of his party only 3 times out of 135 (2.2%) and James Bezan a mere 8 times out of 565 (1.4%). Even more jaw-dropping is the fact that over two-thirds of MPs never vote against the party [4]. Voters aren’t voting for a candidate who happens to be a party member; they are voting for a party who happens to be represented by a candidate. Members of parliament couldn’t care less what the constituents want. Parties also already have systems which reward members who vote for the party like machines. MMP is rid of its only fault. Elections are about representing Canadians’ votes equally. But under FPTP and AV, some votes are more equal than others. The only system which keeps votes equal is mixed-member proportional. ■ [1] www.threehundredeight.com [2] www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/ may/10/alternative-vote-minimal-impact-general-election [3] www.results.aec.gov.au [4] www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/breaking-rank-how-often-do-mps-voteagainst-their-own-party/article8141646/?from=8156279 [5] www.openparliament.ca [6] www.blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/ is-alternative-vote-a-better-voting-system-itdepends…/ [7] www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ is-canadas-party-discipline-the-strictest-inthe-world-experts-say-yes/article8313261/
Did you fart? Because you blew me away. If you were a chicken, you’d be im-peckable. My love for you is like diarrhea: I just can’t hold it in. I wanna live in your socks so I can be with you every step of the way. Did you invent the airplane? Cause you seem Wright for me. Does your left eye hurt? Because you’ve been looking right all day. Can I follow you home? Cause my parents always told me to follow my dreams. Was your dad a boxer? Cause you’re a knockout! I thought happiness started with an H. Why does mine start with U? Oops, I lost my number. Can I get yours? I’m not actually this tall. I’m sitting on my wallet. Using these will definitely solve all your problems, mark my words.
Help!!! My dog peed in the fridge once and now he claims it as his home. What do I do? - Jason Refrigerators are generally pretty cold, at about 4 degrees Celsius. This temperature is uninhabitable for most animals, including dogs. Assuming your dog has been living in your fridge as of late, it should have frozen to death long ago. Thus, your pet “dog” is probably not a dog, but in fact a polar bear. Your pet polar bear is probably just looking for its home. Polar bears aren’t very proficient in English, so it must have been confused when it discovered an iced cappuccino in your fridge instead of an ice cap. But, having entered the fridge, it must have noticed a sudden climate change and assumed it was at home again. Since it seems like the polar bear is bothering you, I would recommend calling the Toronto Zoo – they’d probably take it off your hands.
If I throw a rock hard enough, will it fly around the world and hit my back? - Rock&HardPlace I don’t get this “a rock” business, as there is only one rock, and he is The Rock. But, yes, if you threw him hard, I reckon he’d be very angry, enough that he’d probably hop on his private jet and fly around the world in order to slam you to the ground. But, seeing that you threw the Rock so hard, perhaps he would congratulate you on your strength. Perhaps you would become best friends with him. Perhaps he’d even invite you to his mansion and introduce you to Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel. But then again, maybe he’d just hit your back, make you “mysteriously” disappear, and be done with it. If you seek counsel from The Reckoner like the individuals above, send us a question at www.thereckoner.ca/ask-thereckoner
Sources for Federal Election Infographic Conservative Party of Canada. Retrieved September 20, 2015, from http://www.conservative.ca/ Liberal Party of Canada. Retrieved September 19, 2015, from https://www.liberal.ca/ Fekete, J., MacLeod, I., & Berthiaume, L. (2015, August 2). Everything you need to know about the parties’
platforms, from taxes and terrorism to the environment. Retrieved August 30, 2015. New Democratic Party. Retrieved September 20, 2015, from http://www.ndp.ca/issues
Do you have a response to an article in this issue? Make your voice heard! Contact us at editorinchief@thereckoner.ca.
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P6
October 2015
VOL. 4 NO. 1
LIFE How to be Art Smart at Nuit Blanche
Garneau Classroom Feature:
Limericks
Mr. Lawrence’s grade 9 English class has been studying limericks. We’ve chosen a few written by his students to be featured here.
Illustration: Lila Huang I had an awful dream. I woke up with a scream. My friend came in, Gave me a grin, Then smacked me with some cream.
by Sabeen Asif
by CINDY ZENG
O
ne night, every year, over one million people swarm downtown for the biggest contemporary art event Toronto has to offer: Nuit Blanche. As an annual event that has been running for over a decade now, a few things have remained constant throughout the years: chilly weather, drizzles of rain, and hordes of slightly drunken college students meandering through the streets. Some people go for the art. Some people pretend to go for the art, but actually just use the night as an excuse to get really high and really intoxicated. Most of us stand around, scratching our heads in bemusement because, seriously, what is art? I can’t claim to be an arts person. I was walking down the street for a while when my attention was captured by something large and shiny. An exhibit? Cool art?! ...No, it was just OCAD University. (Which technically is an arts school, so I guess I’m getting somewhere.) But in my years of experience with interpreting the uninterpretable, I’ve picked up a few tricks. You want to learn about art? You want to become a bona fide cultured city slicker? Listen, it’s not hard at all. The experience of art is all in your mind. One exhibit featured a couple dozen flickering lamps hanging from the ceiling, while an incessant buzzing noise resonated in the room. We stood, transfixed, by this convoluted maze of wires and metallic fixtures. What did it mean? I looked into one of the lamps and screeched an ominous note of nonsense to the speakers within. Did my voice carry over to another lamp? Perhaps, it is symbolism for how instant communication has become so prevalent that all our voices can be heard within a moment, and soon there will be so many voices that the cacophony of sound shall drown out all comprehension. I didn’t find an explanation, so I may as well have been right. I could probably wrap yellow caution tape around a section of the street, sit inside screaming, over and over, and people will think I’m an exhibit. Maybe I’ll have a buddy with me, so we can rotate fresh screamers in. “The Unending Nightmare of a College Freshman,” we’ll call it. We can revise the title. Throw in some profound sounding words like memory, or reality (For the record, seven exhibits had the word “memory” somewhere in their titles. Seriously.) Nuit Blanche is basically English class. Stare at an exhibit long enough, and meaning will come to you.
I love Justin Bieber. He’s not a brown beaver. He sings so well, He’s hot as hell, Now I got the fever.
H
t was the way her hair fell over her glasses frames from two seats across and weaved right into his jumble of thoughts, both guarding their own thoughts in fortresses, walls of books to hide behind only daring to watch from a distance, he can still see her eyes light up to reveal whole universes within and she’s still earshot of his smooth, rolling epiphanies of things beyond even comprehension. the rings under their eyes darker than those sleepless nights spent wondering, trying to turn scattered points into theories trying to linearize fluctuating heartbeats she, the puzzle he just cannot solve, he, the question demanding an answer; both looking for conclusions --more caffeine, it seemed, was the single solution and on groggy mornings she thinks she might be seeing things, like the sporadic pattern of hands slightly touching and smiles and direct eye contact. but perhaps they’re just a series of miraculous little outliers or variables manipulated simply for a reaction: merely points of tangency, two points coming infinitely close then curving apart. And he’d never believed in fate and destiny and she was never very good with probabilities but really, what are the chances? so she went ahead and took one. ■
ave you ever seen a traffic light? Well, of course you have. I trust that you live near something at least remotely resembling roads or buildings or urbanization; therefore you have encountered a traffic light sometime in your life. My question is, have you ever paid attention to one? I’m not talking about when you’re crossing the street and watching the traffic light blink down the flashing red numbers, urging you to hurry up so you don’t get hit by a car. I’m talking about when you’re sitting in the front seat of the car, not driving, just watching as the light turns red. The traffic light is pretty important. It keeps cars from crashing into each other, and subsequent injuries, car repairs, and high insurance fees, and who knows what else. Usually drivers like the lights a lot more when they are welcoming green instead of warning red, because no one wants to get stuck behind a red light every block. Some people will just keep driving as it turns from yellow to red, deliberately, because they can’t be stopped and don’t live by the rules and do what they want, as inde-
pendent young adults who don’t abide by no laws. They don’t care if they crash and burn, because they don’t want to be that person that gets stuck behind the red light when all the cars in front had made it past the intersection. But if we didn’t have these warnings controlling the paths of people in their cars, we would be crashing and falling and no one would get anywhere. If everyone decided to race down the road, ignoring everyone else and pushing them out of the way, this world would be chaos. It’d be a world where everyone only thinks of themselves, where it doesn’t matter what happens to anyone else, or whether anyone gets hurt, because the only thing that matters is that you get to where you’re trying to go. So sometimes you’ll be waiting, because it’s the right and virtuous thing to do. But think again. Why are you stopping? Because there’s this brainless metal box in front of you saying you can’t go? Sometimes there’s no one on the road. There aren’t any cars coming. Just a wide open road beckoning to you, but you’re not going because of a little red dot. Yes, it’s a warning, but to what? What have you got to lose? After all, the warning seems so incredi-
bly meaningless, right? But then there’s that moment. When all signs point to yes, and you can step on the accelerator and rush to where you’re going. And in that moment, you’re free, unrestrained from all the things that have been holding you down. Out of that dreaded waiting place. And it doesn’t matter whether you rebel from the laws of the metal box or not, because your time had come. Just you wait. The time will always come. Once again, you encounter another flashing light, another gatekeeper in your path deciding your fate for the next block. Maybe it’ll say green, and you’ll go past it without any moral qualms. Or maybe it’ll say red, and you’ll obey it for some strange reason, because other people are waiting for their turn to live in the fast lane. The traffic light will continue to let people in, let people out, tell them to stop, tell them to go – because it is an object of fairness, one that keeps order amongst both humans of greed and humans of generosity, making sure that everyone gets a chance to pass through the gate. But, I mean, it’s just a traffic light. ■
by GREATON TAN
by Amina Baig
I
by KATHERINE MA
by Malina Gori
I had to clean the floor. And then I slammed the door. Drove to a shop, And bought a mop, But then slipped at the store.
Photo: Sherrie Cheng
by HANNAH NIE
Traffic Lights
Illustration: Joy Wang
Illustration: Jeffrey Liu
If not, you can simply make it up. Then, it’s only one step further to turn that meaning into an existential crisis and become the starving artist you’ve always wanted to be. Of course, it’s entirely possible that you guess totally wrong. “Each Portion,” featured in the Art Gallery of Ontario, showcased a video of an array of strawberry jam stained spoons rumbling past on a conveyor belt, faster and faster, the spoons growing progressively blood red. I thought it represented the corruptness of the food industry, the cruelty of factory farming and excessive usage of pesticides, and how, unless we change our disastrous farming practices, we will all feed from our sick and polluted ways, and suffer terribly because of it. (I know, good right?) But apparently, the exhibit really had to do with how we absorb food along with their stories and nutrients. Does it matter, though? Here’s one thing I’ve figured out. It’s not about getting the art right. It’s about getting the experience right. It’s the feeling you get at 2 am, when you’re tripping over unseen curbs in the dark, fumbling with clammy hands for that map you just can’t read, and laughing at the small pack of environmental activists you just passed around the block. Or when you’re filled to the brim with teenage bravado, and decide to jaywalk across the street without looking both ways (and then get promptly almost run over by a bicyclist). It’s the feeling you get when you go have Uncle Tetsu cheesecake right after free popcorn samples, and the line’s really short so you only have to wait half an hour. It’s weird. It’s baffling. Sometimes, it’s ridiculously pretentious. But you can’t say that Nuit Blanche isn’t one of a kind. ■
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October 2015
P7
VOL. 4 NO. 1
LIFE
DIY Duct Tape Wallets by SHELA QIU
M
aking duct tape wallets has been my go-to hobby for the past five years. In addition to being a very useful pastime, they always make great presents, and can be even used for school projects.
It was supposed to mimic a Kate Spade piece for an accounting summative – at least the colours are almost there? Yes, it’s made completely out of duct tape and no, there is no cardboard padding in them (I’ve been asked before).
When I first came across the end- on the mat are much easier to use than less tutorials on Youtube in Grade 8, I a ruler. couldn’t wait to try it out – I bought my first roll of bright green duct tape and got started right away. Although the final result was presentable and lasted me quite a while, there were a lot of things I found I could have improved. So instead of a tutorial, I’ll be giving some tips and tricks to help you get started on the hobRipping creates frayed edges. by. For ID pockets, either clear packaging tape or a sheet of plastic will do – I The Breakdown used the plastic covering that came with those really old school photos. Clear tape Materials and Pricing ® The Duck brand by far has the most is also really useful for saving duct tape. variety of patterns and colours. Each roll Since no one can see the inside of your is usually a bit over $5, and can make up wallet anyways, why use the patterned to two wallets. WalMart and Staples al- tape when you can replace it with a clear ways have a large stock to choose from. covering? Although a ruler and a pair of scissors are enough to get going, scissors tend Tutorials There are so many tutorials on Youto get really sticky from the tape. Being tube that you can go ahead and choose impatient, I sometimes resorted to just any one to begin with. Bi-fold, tri-fold, ripping the tape with my hands. accordion, and clutch are all possibiliI suggest investing in a cutting mat ties. and craft knife - WalMart sells sets for If you’re looking for a recommendaaround $15. This is definitely needed if tion, I would suggest starting off with the you want the fine edges, and the grids
tutorials by SoCraftastic on Youtube. My most recent piece, the pink and purple accordion, was from a video by
Crafts by Stephanie. Time
Depending on the complexity of your wallet and how much you like multi-tasking, you should set aside 0.5-2 hours to finish a full piece.
Customization
The best thing about making your own wallet is that you can add whatever customizations you want to it.
Need a convenient way to carry your TTC tickets? Make a pocket!
You can also print out pictures to paste on the front of your wallet – just laminate it with clear tape and it’ll blend right in with the background. ----Duct tape wallets are definitely a cool A lot of the tutorials don’t have a section and useful craft to try out if you have the for coin pockets, so you can just make time, and hopefully this helped out a bit your own. with getting started. Happy taping! ■
A Thought Garden by KASHIFAH AHMED
Why not to pull the fire alarm
Notes from the Playground
The Hamburger Model
Words Words Words 2
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2. form of poem (in this issue!) 5. Valar Morghulis: All men must ___ 6. blue, outside and everywhere 7. loud horn 11. ghosts say this 14. means elaborate and luxurious 15. fancy boat 16. punctuation mark 17. tendency for theft
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by LAUREN CHANG
1. grape is to raison as cucumber is to ____ 3. “He walked __ the maze” 4. used to unlock 8. the best Reckoner board 9. dry riverbed or ravine 10. French word for ‘before’ 12. Too much of water had she 13. “If I were a(n) ___ I’d be helicase so I can unzip your genes!” Solutions will be posted online at thereckoner.ca
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Inked In by JESSICA FUNG
October 2015
VOL. 4 NO. 1
P8
by DAVID HAO and CINDY ZENG
W
elcome to high school, Niner. You’ve been sentenced to this fine institution for the next four years of your life. Legs shaking yet? Luckily for you, us noble editors at The Reckoner have prepared a little survival guide to help you make it through boot camp. Forget all the Hollywood clichés you’ve been exposed to, as Garneau is a very unique environment. While you’re here, you may as well enjoy your stay, and we can help with that. Let’s begin. Life in the Library The Garneau library is an elusive entity. Sometimes it’s open, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes, you’ll rush to the library for your period 4 spare, only to have the door close on your face as the teacher-librarian squints at you and says, “Library’s full, go away.” In which case, you’ll be promptly redirected to the cafeteria with all the other unlucky souls (“Stop loitering in the halls!”), where you’ll wait for ages to be let in, all the while lamenting the lost study time (just kidding, no one studies in spare). If the prospect of either chilling for an hour in the bathroom or sitting in the crowded and excessively warm cafeteria doesn’t appeal to you, then you might want to head over to the library ASAP . Treat it as the most important race of your life. Use your elbows to cut through the crowd; no one will judge you. It’s a dirty war in high school. Once you get into the library, before you do anything else, claim a seat. Put your bag on it or dig in hard with your claws. Don’t let anyone take it away from you. Your seat is your lifeline; without it, when the teacher-librarian comes sweeping through ten minutes later, you’ll be swept up, away, and out. Then it’s back to the cafeteria with you! Rule of thumb is four people per table. Sometimes you can get away with more, but don’t be surprised when you get forcefully wrenched apart. If the teacher-librarian approaches you, try batting your eyes and flashing your cutest smile. Promise you’ll stay quiet. I can’t guarantee 100% success, but you might not be exiled to another table in futile dismay. Finally, if you’re going to eat in the library – don’t. Teacher-librarians have a way of sniffing out rule breakers. You’re not going to get away easy.
you’ll find further dining options for your greasy indulgences. Popeyes is a school favourite, and all their chicken is Halal to suit the local demographic. One-way travel time is approximately 10 minutes, although I can attest that if you run fast enough, you can get to Popeyes, order, and get back all within 15, without the teacher ever questioning your “washroom trip.” Fried chicken is a powerful motivator. Never Forget: Student Number Remember your student number. Seriously, the number of times you’ll need it within the next four years probably exceeds the numerical value of your student number itself (OK maybe not). The sooner you remember it, if you haven’t already, the less times you’ll have to shamefully reach for your bag each time it’s needed.
Illustration: Lila Huang still get confused by the door numbering system. Here’s how it plays out. You’re walking down the hall, looking for room 341. Numbers flash by, 338, 339, 340… 345? Double back, count again. Nope, still no 341. How did you just skip four numbers? Unfortunately, the school just does that. Is there any method to this madness? No, not really. I don’t know what to tell you. Sometimes, when we’re delivering papers, we can’t, because the room doesn’t seem to exist. Maybe it’s some sort of weird Harry Potter changing staircases situation. Fourth floor doesn’t exist, except between 4:00 and 5:00 pm (wink winkokay actually, don’t go looking for a fourth floor. There is no fourth floor. If you do find a fourth floor… you’re probably not at the right building. Check Google Maps again).
Tricks and Tips for Getting Around You’re going to get lost. No matter how prepared you feel, no matter how many times you’ve scrutinized the school’s blueprints (where did you even get those?) and marked down the nonsensical twists and turns of the halls, you’re going to get lost. It’s not a hypothesis, it’s a fact of life. We’ve been going to this school for 3 years now, and we
And if you think the door numbering system is strange, you’ll be more horrified by the locker numbering system. Generally, locker numbers that begin with 2 are on the second floor. Locker numbers that begin with 3 are on the third floor. But a few lockers (2999, 2998, 2997 and probably a few more down the line) are on the third floor. It’s really weird. And now you know! Lunchtime Woes and Alternatives In case bringing lunch from home is too plebeian for your liking, the cafeteria itself also sells lunches in the kitchen hall along the north wall. You might want to get there early, as the concept of an “orderly queue” is entirely foreign to many of its lunchtime patrons. During peak minutes, the place resembles a prison riot of inmates armed with plastic forks and knives. The cafeteria offers special
Illustration: Lila Huang
seasonal meals on certain holidays in the year, such as turkey on Thanksgiving. By definition, a cafeteria is where you eat lunch, but this isn’t necessarily true at Garneau. In fact, unless you fancy having your eardrums blown out by obnoxiously loud music that nobody is really satisfied with, we highly recommend you check out a number of other fine dining establishments in the area. The hot dog stand at the intersection of Overlea and Don Mills has been a staple of Garneau cuisine for as long as most of us can remember. Although Jamie, the famous hot dog guy, spouts Bulgarian vulgarities when crowds amass, a nice Italian Sausage on a crispy bun is second-to-none for a quick pick-me-up on days where you forgot your lunch. Halal options are available. Just two hundred meters north of Garneau on Don Mills is the local plaza. If you’ve made it this far without fainting from hunger, you’ll be rewarded with a wide array of food joints, including Tim’s, Subway, McDonald’s, Pita Land and numerous local establishments that we’ve been too afraid to try. Sunny Supermarket is a local favourite, if Asian pick-me-ups are your thing. Estimated travel time between the school and plaza is 10 minutes. Don’t be late, unless you want to be the idiot that stumbles into class with a box of Timbits. West of the school, across the bridge,
The Whats, Whys, and Wheres of Spare Spare is a hallmark of high school at Garneau. A little history: Due to severe overpopulation a number of years ago, administration decided to create an extra period in the day to redistribute class volume, resulting in the unique scenario among TDSB high schools of having 5 periods in a day. Therefore, with only 4 classes a day but 5 periods, everyone at Garneau ends up having an extra slot each day. Yes, we start at 8:15 and it sucks, but you’ll learn to worship and look forward to your spare like it’s Christmas, except, every day. During spare, you can do whatever you like, although we suggest you get in the habit of spending your time productively, even though we know you’re going to ignore our advice. Don’t worry, we’ll get the final laugh four years down the road. Period 1 and 5 are commonly regarded as the best spares, as you either get to sleep in or go home early. Period 3 and 4 are acceptable, as you’ll have a longer lunch. Period 2 spare? Ha, sucker. ----Hopefully we haven’t scared you off too badly. Seriously, high school can be a really fun time. Go out there, talk to people, make new friends. Everybody’s probably feeling as nervous as you, so don’t worry about looking like a fool. We’ve only delved slightly into the whirlpool of aspects that make up Garneau. If you ever have any questions, or need any help, remember, we’re here for you. Check out our advice column if you haven’t already. Now. Go forth and conquer! We believe in you, even if you don’t. (Oh, one more thing. DO NOT pull the fire alarm unless there’s a real fire. Got it? Cool.) ■
Photos by Cindy Cui For more Humans of Garneau, visit bit.ly/GarneauHumans
“Without telling me who they are, can you describe to me someone you couldn’t live without?” “They always cheer me up.” “And they always have my back.”
“How long have you been in Canada?” “Four months. I came from the Philippines.” “Do you ever miss home?” “Yeah, of course.” “What has been your greatest struggle?” “I think family. My mom, she’s very strict. It is different here, here you need to work hard for your studies, over there, it doesn’t matter as much. Also money, no money over here. Back home, we have a lot of money. Here, you need to work hard for it.”
Paradise by HELLEN LI
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