The Confluence | January 21st, 2020 | Brighter Futures

January 21st, 2019

YOUR OFFICIAL COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Confluence The

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The Interview

If I were you...

DAMON ROBINSON - Editorial Look at what the cat’s dragged in.

It’s me again. How are you all doing? It’s been a while since our last chat.

It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Emi as the Production Editor. Until a new editor is found, I will be here to bring you guys the content that you want. Ney, deserve.

We are excited for the end of the year, here at The Confluence.

I hope your exams are going well, and if not... well you’re some type of lucky.

I want to take this time to highlight all the work my coworkers here at the CNCSU have been doing over this last semester.

As you all may know, there was a large turnover that we went through this year. Everyone on the team has stepped up and I feel incredibly confident going forward that all of our services are up to your standard.

Cheers

Damon Robinson Interim Editor-in-Chief

As well, due to the change in Confluence staff, we are going to look and revise our strategy moving forward. I guess we will all figure it out together. As a Confluence Family.

Much love, and wear your winter jacket you fools.

Confluence

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The

Harry Sahota Production Editor

Jeongpil “JP” Cheon WEGD Intern

Gurjeet Singh WEGD Intern

Hey Dudes- Editorial

Raegan Cote Creative Editor

Leila Depenau Executive Director

Ian Petrie Trades Rep.

Amy Barry Organizer

Shaun Edwards Health and Science Rep.

Carman Hill Quesnel Office & Services Coordinator

Damon Robinson Communications Officer

Guntas Arsh Kanda Office Services Coordinator

Navjot Singh Brar Business & Technology Rep.

Brandan Jack Indigenous Rep.

Brittany Idiens Quesnel Rep.

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Hey folks!

The semester is over. I can’t tell if I am happy or sad, but I surely am not neutral.

This has been a semester of growth for me, I am not sure if I have grown this much since grade eight when puberty kicked in. I have never been so heavily submerged into my work, whether it be for school or for the Student Union. I feel incredibly blessed to be in the position I am now, and I owe a lot of people “Thank You’s,” so I am putting it in here to get the message across. Hopefully all of you have successfully completed exams, and to those lingering few who still have exams yet, good luck you poor souls.

This pains me to say, but this will be the last Confluence issue of the year. 2019 has already passed and now we are onto 2020. Now people will say “come on, it’s 2020, stop saying ——” Looking ahead into the New Year, I am optimistic that great things will come from this magazine. I am certain, however, that great things will be coming from the 2020 Student’s Union.

I’d like to say a formal goodbye to Production Editor Emi Moldovan. Though your journey here was short lived, I hope you enjoyed your time with us! For the time being, welcome back Mr. Robinson, once again acting as interim “Editor-in-Chief.” I knew you’d miss us, Damon.

I wish everyone the happiest of holidays! Stay safe, have fun, drink egg nog, the whole works. At the very least, enjoy this time off from your semester. Peace out, 2019.

Confluence

The

Ten Tips on Surviving a Canadian Winter

by Raegan Cote

It is the annual mid-January snow storm— tem-

life.

peratures are -20 and below, your windshield

wipers don’t work as well as you remember, you

recommend keeping a warm blanket, granola

got rear-ended earlier that day by an F150 that

bars, and a first aid kit. You never know when

ate your 2001 Toyota Corolla for lunch— things

you might find yourself broken down and spend-

2. Keep an emergency kit in your car. I

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are tough. For those newer to Canada, this will be ing hours on the side of the road. These are all your first, and certainly not last, Prince George

very practical items, and are a good long-term

winter. As someone who has lived in PG all my

investment.

life, I often find myself never truly ready for the

winter storms. However, with that being said,

tools to change a tire. If they aren’t exactly what

there are many cautionary steps one can take to

your car needs, you’ll find yourself stranded, or

ensure the safest winter possible. I am here to of-

with a big towing bill in your hands.

fer you ten tips on how to survive the great Cana-

dian winter.

the fanciest of cars may need a jump start in the

depths of winter. You might also save someone

1. Get winter tires on your vehicle. On

3. Double check that you have the correct

4. Don’t forget jumper cables too! Even

many highways in Northern BC, winter tires are

else day if you are the clever driver who keeps

mandatory, and police can fine drivers for not

jumper cables with them.

having them (ICBC). Winter tires can not only

save you a ticket, but they can also save you your

anywhere you need to be, whether it be work,

5. Slow down! Allow extra time to get

school, grandmas house for Christmas, etc.

ence muscle pain, as well as other symptoms

You should not/cannot travel at the same

(HealthLine). I encourage everyone to do their

speed as you did in the summer. No one wants

own research on the effects of Vitamin D Defi-

to add a rear ending on their insurance, so slow ciency, it could save you a lot of suffering over down this winter. Patience is a virtue.

the next couple of months.

6. Walking around, whether day or

9. Over the season, it can become very

night, can be an extremely dangerous activity. I

easy to only want to be alone, in your room,

have seen far too many pedestrians move away

watching Netflix. Though this activity is nice

from cars (hardly in time!) before they were

and relaxing, it can easily transform into self-

almost human pancakes. I know we aren’t in

isolation. Don’t forget to reach out to friends,

elementary school anymore, but please take

even if it just includes a text or a call. Chances

the extra time to look twice before crossing

are you aren’t the only person you know who

anywhere. Crosswalks are covered in snow,

feels lonely in the winter.

and therefore no longer hold the same level

of safety of being called a “crosswalk” in the

Skiing and snowboarding aren’t for everyone,

winter.

but there are endless possibilities that the snow

can provide. Ice skating is a quick, cheap, and

7. Layer up, especially those who walk

or wait for the bus. Despite how unfashionable

10. Finally, try out a new winter activity!

relatively easy sport to partake in. You can also

wearing three layers of jackets may be, it is what take up a day of snowshoeing, or tobogganis best for your health and safety. This includes

ing, bring out your inner child! And after that’s

a good pair of gloves, a toque, scarf, winter

done, that hot chocolate will just taste that

jacket, and boots. Converse alone will not get

much better.

you through the season.

should probably take my own advice on some

indoors to avoid the cold, it doesn’t hurt to

of these and practice what I preach! This win-

incorporate foods (such as fish, eggs, and dairy) ter doesn’t have to be sleep, eat, shovel, repeat. or take supplements containing Vitamin D

As long as you take the proper safety measures,

(WebMD). You may lack Vitamin D in your

this winter could be your best yet!

blood if you often get sick, constantly feel tired, feel depressed (seasonal depression!), experi-

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8. Since you’re spending excessive time

I hope you guys find these tips helpful. I

Confluence

The

January 1

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3 4

5 6

7 8

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10

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ACROSS 1 Splash! Boom! Whack!

4 To repay or refund a person who has spent money.

8 Injury effecting the skin caused by freezing the underlying tissues.

9 A word that reads the same backwards as it does forwards.

10 Olympic sport in which the sledder rides face up on an ice track.

DOWN 2 Collection of islands.

3 Light layer of tan foam on the surface of an espresso shot.

5 A goal one makes for the year, beginning on January 1st.

6 The meeting of two rivers.

7 A period of unusually cold weather.

Lights and Serenity by Gaby Sandhu Christmas lights strung along the walls They cast a glow upon your skin They fade behind The serenity Of your slumber How can a man look so beautiful?

A busy mind

Always churning

Always whirling

Running from the gloom.

Has come to standstill.

Has come to transparency.

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And as the silence fills within my ears, Tiny, warm fireflies dance upon my heart.

Confluence

The

Poetry by Ann Kramer

Flesh and Blood You look at me like I’m made of light, Like I’m the night sky, Like I’m a sculpture, But I’m not.

I’m flesh and blood.

The Deep Dark Woods Here the calm and the fury, The silence and the screeching, The peace and the fear, 08 THECONFLUENCE

All live an inch apart.

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Confluence

The

My Sweet, Lonely, Little World

by Damon Robinson

The loneliness epidemic has grown to be one

Studies show that loneliness has concerning side

of the most unexpected problems of our time,

effects, such as increased blood pressure, obesity,

as, despite technology connecting us, people

anxiety, depression and irritability. Loneliness is

are feeling lonelier than ever. This is not an

not an exclusive feeling, sectioned only for loners

unknown, as I am sure that many of the people

or people with no friends. The feeling of being

reading this - maybe even you - have felt that the

emotionally alone can occur for people with five

evolution of social media and connectivity has

friends and 150 friends alike.

left you feeling lonelier than ever. But why?

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This brings us to many questions. Why is this Studies show that one in five Canadians feels

happening now? There are a lot of theories, but

lonely, and it is not a surprise. While it may be

one of the more prominent ones in our times is

easy to mark this off as a fact of all of us being

the ever-increasing accessibility of technology.

anti-social, that is plainly not true. Humans are

My personal theory is that the societal pressure

at its roots a pack animal. We thrive off of being

to compete with each other, alongside the con-

surrounded by the ones we value most, and the

stant comparisons made between yourselves and

lack thereof for many is the crux of a lot of dan-

peers, does a lot of the work in breaking down

gerous issues for people in society.

our mental health.

Personally, I find myself to be lonely quite frequently. There isn’t much reason to be, as my line of work revolves around myself and my co-workers consistently interact with people on a daily basis. I ask myself a lot where those feelings of being alone are rooted, and I have found myself to continue wondering.

The College of New Caledonia is blessed to the world. I have spoken personally to many people who have found this feeling as a newly prominent emotion, one that they did not have as much of from where they came. I remember having a conversation with a couple of students from Jamaica, and the one thing that they pointed at a detractor during their time here was the seeming lack of a community. I agree with that statement. As someone who has studied at the College of New Caledonia and will continue to do so as an employee of the CNCSU, I have seen and felt this statement on a very personal level.

We are living in a world with a large amount of usage of social media, to the point where it is seemingly challenging finding someone who does not use some form of one. Whether it be Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or even

LinkedIn, there is always a sense of validation intertwined between the memes and selfies.

When put into context, this makes a lot of sense. It has been shown that when people like your post, the validation creates a rush of dopamine - the “happiness hormone.� The effect has been shown to have similar effects as when winning money or eating chocolate amongst teenagers. This should not come as a surprise, as people seem to like talking about themselves. Quite a bit, actually. When this known fact is paired with that a large majority of user posts are directly related to themselves, it will have an effect on how you feel.

Online interaction is a unique way of communication, as what users post is controlled. This is important to bring up, as many people can find face-to-face interactions awkward, as what you say is often unplanned and can come out

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have students coming from countries across

as something different from what you ex-

status. This theory goes by the name of the

pected. This makes it seem that when you

Social Comparison Theory. The purpose

get likes and replies on your posts, you get

of this feeling is theorized to be one’s way

more validation from that than actual con-

to protect ourselves and assess the threats

versations.

around us.

Unless you are friends with people who get

These observations happen all the time.

200+ likes on their posts within an hour.

For example, if you were walking down the street and you see someone jogging while you munch down on a subway sandwich,

While you get a rush of dopamine from

you may naturally feel that you’re out of

being well-liked online, the platform has

shape. Now imagine this happening every

the side-effect of making the user compare

time you open up your Facebook feed.

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themselves to those around them. This claim is not unfounded, as, in 1954, a psy-

It needs no explanation that if you feel

chologist by the name of Leon Festinger

threatened by those around you, that you

made the report that we naturally make

will distance yourself from those threats. I

comparisons between ourselves and others

feel that this is a large reason why the do-

as a way to make judgements on our social

mestic students distance themselves from

each other except for a few select people.

These feelings of always comparing yourself to others are multiplied by the pressures of school with the stigmas associated with financial status, GPA, course understanding.

For many, being in school, in general, feels like a multi-year competition with grants and scholarships sprinkled throughout.

As someone who has been struck with the feeling of loneliness in college, my advice to those reading is to try and disassociate yourself from social media as much as possible. Contrary to popular belief, the number of friends does not seem to cause how lonely you may feel. In my opinion and experience, it is how much you compare yourself to your peers, co-workers and classmates. As cliche as it may sound, be confident with yourself and where you stand in the world. Focus on improving yourself and what your story is rather than being worried about what Jessica from you English 103 class did last Saturday. You’ll

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feel a lot better.

Agyapal Singh Contributor

I’m Agyapal Singh.

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I’m in the Bussiness Management program and this is my second semester here. I’ve put a lot of thought into this picture. I just wanted to show with this picture how we are inseparable from our phones and are becoming enslaved to it.

Chasing the Dragon with a Lightning Cord

by Zack Bussieres

Power is the heroin of technology You love the high of a full battery Inject into your vein with a needle Inject into your phone with a cable The screen dims, battery saver mode on The grind to find power begins Chase the high of when you first plugged in the street pedlar says spare some change The millennial says spare some charge The chills and jitters fade away with each flowing per cent Whether it flows throw a cable or a vein you’re an addict Always chasing the next high Spit in the face of death not afraid to die Steal, cheat and lie our way to the juice The phone charges at night as not to be dead in the morning Everyone wants to see morning but sometimes it’s the parents that do all the mourning

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You do anything to keep the phone alive

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