Vol 124 Issue 1 by The Xaverian

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saturday september fifth, 2015

THE xaverian Sept 5 2015 Vol 124: Issue 1

OUR STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia O’Hanley xw.eic@stfx.ca

ART IST IC COORDINATOR Devon Chisholm xw.artistic@stfx.ca COPY EDITOR Molly Schreiber xw.copy@stfx.ca NEWS EDITOR Izaak MacMullin xw.news@stfx.ca OPINIONS EDITOR Emily Keenan xw.opinion@stfx.ca FEATURES EDITOR Paige Chisholm xw.feature@stfx.ca ARTS&CULTURE EDITOR Rachel Revoy xw.culture@stfx.ca DIST RACT IONS EDITOR Ty Kingston xw.distractions@stfx.ca SPORTS&HEALT H EDITOR Shelbi Kilcollins xw.sports@stfx.ca SENIOR REPORT ER Lauren Agnew xw.reporter1@stfx.ca SENIOR REPORT ER Rachel LeBlanc xw.reporter2@stfx.ca STAFF WRIT ER Aidan Hassell xw.writer1@stfx.ca STAFF WRIT ER Sebastian Jurga xw.writer2@stfx.ca COLUMNIST Lindsay Johnstone xw.columnist1@stfx.ca COLUMNIST Caitlin Vance xw.columnist2@stfx.ca DIST RIBUT IONS MANAGER Devon Chisholm xw.distributions@stfx.ca xw.eic@stfx.ca for general inquiries xw.managing@stfx.ca for advertising

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LOCAL FOOD IN THE ‘NISH IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor

MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Finn xw.managing@stfx.ca

EDITOR: IZAAK MACMULLIN xw.news@stfx.ca

If you ever find yourself getting tired of pizza this school year (unlikely, I know) there are a few spots in town where guilt-free local food can be acquired. For those who like to know where their food comes from, you can’t find many better places than the Our Food Store or the Townhouse. For students with access to a decent kitchen, the Our Food Store is an online service where you can order a fresh bag of local produce every week. The bags are composed of fruits and vegetables grown mainly in the Antigonish area. Your purchase can be picked up at the CACL building on Kirk Street, located a mere two blocks from StFX. You can also pick some add-ons for your bag, including locally raised meat, local organic cheese, local honey and maple syrup, and

fresh-baked goods. According to Lisa Montrose, the Our Food Store operator, her goal is to address food security in Antigonish. “With growing concerns over the current global food system, community members wanted to reduce the distance our food had to travel, the amount of food dollars leaving the province, and increase the amount and diversity of food produced in our area,” she says. When asked what she would like students to know about the Our Food Store, Montrose replied, “Supporting our food store is a way to show your support for local, sustainable food production while improving the quality and variety of seasonal produce in your diet. It is a convenient and affordable way to eat healthy and make a statement against our current fragile food system.” If you’re planning on spending a night on the town but also

want some quality food, you can’t go wrong with the Townhouse Brewpub & Eatery on College Street, about a block away from Piper’s Pub and Kenny’s. Along with imported and standard beer and liquor, you can also enjoy a selection of craft beers and a number of dishes all made from scratch in the Townhouse kitchen using exclusively local ingredients. Their menu changes every day based on the season and what is available, but you can always be sure the stuff you’re eating didn’t have to be flown in from thousands of kilometres away. The Townhouse and the Our Food Store actually work together, as the Townhouse uses the Our Food Store’s connections with local farmers to buy some of the ingredients they use. Finally, if you find yourself strapped for cash and struggling to afford groceries, there is another local food option.

The Student Food Resource Centre, located in the basement of MacKinnon Hall, offers free food for students in need. Some of the food offered is about as local as you can get, because fresh produce grown in gardens on campus is available when in season. Few students even realize we have a food garden at StFX, most likely because it’s hidden away behind the JBB. Its bounty includes beans, tomatoes, strawberries, and more. If you want to get involved with the Food Resource Center, they are always looking for volunteers. If you are interested in working on food issues, you can get involved with the Campus Food Strategy Group. Look for their booth on society night to learn more. To order a bag from Our Food Store, visit www.ourfoodstore.com. You can pay with an email transfer, credit card, or via Paypal.

Immersion service learning StFX students travelled to Belize this summer to learn about Belizean culture TY KINGSTON Distractions Editor Eleven members of the StFX community completed the journey of a lifetime just after classes concluded last semester. Through Immersion Service Learning, they went on a two week trip to Belize, Central America. They experienced once-in-a-lifetime lessons in ecology, climate change, and social issues. It’s impossible to summarize the experience into a few short words, but here is an attempt. The group spent a third of the trip at the Tropical Education Center and Belize Zoo. There they were introduced to two hundred and thirty species of bird, two species of iguana, jaguars, monkeys, and Belize’s moose equivalent: the Tapir. “It really opened my eyes to the environmental crisis,” Jasmine DeZeeuw reflects. The Belize Zoo is actually a rehabilitation centre for injured, orphaned, or illegally domesticated local animals. It is open to the public for educational purposes. “We were given lots of background information,” says Alyssa Gosbee. Next was the village of Maya Centre, where work was done at the local K-8 school. The group was quickly adopted into the children’s social circles. “They all have such interesting background stories. I really enjoyed working in the

Source: Facebook classroom,” says participant Ashley Allan. “At first you think ‘they’re so poor’, but they’re not. They’re actually rich in a different way. Down there you learn wealth isn’t as black and white as how much stuff you have,” explains Taylor Samson of her experience at the school. “But you definitely appreciate what you have more,” adds Lucy Wilson. The group then trekked through the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve with their host, Gregorio. He indulged them with sto-

ries of growing up there, before the Belize government moved the Mayans to Maya Centre in the 1980s. “It was powerful hearing his stories and walking on where they happened,” says Allison Fahie. “Before I thought the jungle [was] a chaotic mess, but it quickly became a functional unit as we walked through,” Joanne, the group leader said. “It has everything it needs, it just needs us not to destroy it.” Also while there, the group learned of Belize’s social is-

sues. “Thinking about their problems and the causes makes you wonder what kind of issues might happen here at home,” says Julissa Stewart. See if any of these sound familiar: expensive, underfunded education; culture wars; too few having too much power; and poverty. While in Belize the line between the student visitors and locals was forever blurred to this group, so they were able to see the same issues plaguing them at home in a different cultural context.

A frosh-only MacDonald House

A conversation with the incoming president and vice president SEBASTIAN JURGA Staff Writer Ah, StFX, our lovely campus. Full of kind, compassionate people from across Canada and the world. Rich in tradition, and especially rivalry. These are the essentials of what makes our campus great. The latter, however, does have its consequences. Coming from MacPherson, I know my fair share about rivalry culture, and how the TriMac tradition influences the actions of those who live within. All I can say is that it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Far from it in fact, with many a confrontation between MacPherson (MP) and MacDonald (MD) boys turning nasty in the amount of time it takes for one hothead to let loose a cry of chirps and profanity. Well, the tradition last year was taken a little too far. With Res Life on everyone’s case, the Cam Hall Crusaders (Cam Hall being turned Co-Ed) were our greatest fear for the 2015/16 ac-

ademic year. Instead, Student ond years out of residence in an play in the rivalry, since X is a Life seems to think it targeted attempt to eliminate bad house small university, and that just the issue at the source by doing culture may remove the poor because they are banned from a residence-wide ban on any [aspects of MD culture], but MD doesn’t mean they aren’t still part of the TriMac culture. returning MD second years, ef- also remove all the good.” When I mentioned the rivalNeither MacIsaac nor Beitz fectively creating a frosh-only MD for the year. In light of this ry, and some concerns that this knows how long the second years will be banned interesting turn of from MacDonald, events, I decided an inthough they both asterview with incoming sume the behaviour MacDonald President of the residents in the Curtis Beitz and Vice house this year will President Darcy Mahave an impact on cIsaac was in order to The rivalry will be alive and well. We will make get a look at their plans sure it never ends as long as we [MD] are in the how long it will take. same building as MacPherson. The situation befor and thoughts on the comes more complifuture of MacDonald Curtis Beitz MacDonald President cated when you realHouse. ize that these same Speaking of the fubanned older stuture, both seemed a little dents are still permitsurprised by Student Life’s decision, with Beitz men- move by the university is at- ted in TNT. This raises some tioning that he “believed there tempting to end, neither awkward situations, namely, if they are in TNT, how do you needed to be something done to seemed unduly concerned. “The rivalry will be alive stop them from sneaking into stop the negative things [writeups/damages] that have been and well,” commented Beitz, MD, or entering MP to wreak happening inside the building, adding “We will make sure it havoc? The house presidents both but with this approach I’m not never ends as long as we [MD] too sure what exactly will come are in the same building as expressed concern about how difficult they expect it to be for from it.” MacIsaac agreed, stat- MacPherson.” MacIsaac also stated that off themselves to keep the frosh ining that “something had to be done, but taking all of the sec- campus students have a role to formed in the residence, as sec-

ond years are generally useful to the HP/VP for spreading news and events relevant to their house on campus. Beitz mentioned the possibility of closer relations with RAs, but also mentioned that the stigma of fun-police would have to be removed from their titles to make the frosh comfortable with asking them for advice. With Student Life giving the pair very little in the way of specific directions as to how the residence should be run and directed, it will be interesting to see how this year goes for MD. As MacIsaac put, “[this is] not something that hasn’t happened in the past: MP in 2010, MacIsaac in 2012.” In the years after their respective sanctions, these residences seem to have remained relatively static in their traditions and cultures over the years. After all, Trimac has an intertwined and crazy atmosphere as a whole, and just because the Highlanders will be frosh only doesn’t mean they will be separate from Cam Hall.

StFX Shinearama Dress up, have fun, and help fight Cystic Fibrosis IZAAK MACMULLIN News Editor Frosh Week is upon us, and with it comes the exuberant display of passion and community togetherness known as Shinerama. Every year, hundreds of students from StFX wash cars, shine shoes, and man barbecues in an effort to raise funds to combat cystic fibrosis (CF). This year Shinerama will be happening Sept 12, the Saturday after move-in day. CF is the most common fatal genetic disease in Canada, says Antigonish Shinerama Coordinator Devin Manning. “The stats are, 1 in 3 600 Canadians are affected by CF. There is no cure for CF and 1 in 25 people

are carriers for the CF gene.” Most of the participants in Shinerama are traditionally frosh, but the organizers of this year’s event “hope to incorporate upper years as well.” As Devin explains, “It’s not solely a frosh event: we are trying to make it a campus wide event, just so we get more people out.” Shinerama is a Canada wide event with over 60 campuses and more than 35 000 students participating each year. Besides the satisfaction of raising funds for a good cause, Shinerama also offers frosh the chance to get to know their community and make connections with people beyond the campus. Manning explains, “On Shine day, in the morning, we all get

pumped up, have a small little pep rally for Shinerama and then we go into the community. It’s all off campus: there are sites across town [and] sites in New Glasgow. We do activities such as flip burgers, wash cars, we’ll have some buskers out there playing music. Basically just interacting with the community, raising awareness, and raising funds for CF.” Shinerama is often the first time new students get to experience what Antigonish has to offer outside of the campus. Significant progress has been made over the years in the fight against CF. In 1964, the life expectancy for children born with CF was a shocking six years. Medical advance-

ments and research funded by organizations like Shinerama have managed to improve this figure to about 48 years. However the impact of the disease is still very severe. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Canada website, “Cystic fibrosis causes various effects on the body, but mainly affects the digestive system and lungs. The degree of cystic fibrosis involvement differs from person to person. However, the persistence and ongoing infection in the lungs, with destruction of lungs and loss of lung function, eventually causes death in the majority of people who have cystic fibrosis. Typical complications caused by cystic fibrosis are: difficulty in digesting fats and proteins;

Source: StFX Shinearama Facebook Page

vitamin deficiencies due to loss of pancreatic enzymes; and progressive loss of lung function.” Symptoms of the disease include: a persistent mucusproducing cough, wheezing and shortness of breath, frequent chest infections which may include pneumonia, intestinal issues, weight loss, salty sweat, and infertility. To learn more about Shinerama and Cystic Fibrosis, visit www.shinerama.ca, www. cysticfibrosis.ca and at the St FX Student Union website at ww.theu.ca. To learn how you can get involved send the Shinerama organizers an email at shinerama@stfx.ca or check out their Facebook page, simply named StFX Shinerama.

saturday september fifth, 2015

opinions

5 EDITOR: EMILY KEENAN xw.opinion@stfx.ca

THE GUIDE TO LATE-NIGHT FOOD PAIGE CHISHOLM Features Editor I know what you’re thinking while reading this article: who is this girl and why should I trust her opinion on my late night food intake? Well, fellow Xaverians, I would consider myself an after-library/Netflix/party food connoisseur in our sweet little town of Antigonish. After more than three years of trying to find the perfect meal to satisfy myself at 2 AM, I am here to provide you with advice on which foods to get when and where. Situation: You have been partying in your residence after a frosh week event. You and all of your new friends are starving. Where you’re going: NOWHERE. This is a great opportunity. You’re staying in residence with all of these great people and ordering in. Food for you: Pizza from The Wheel. You can tell a lot about a person based on their taste in pizza, and The Wheel is the best pizza you can get in Antigonish. Additional advice: Pizza from The Wheel is known for having a ton of cheese on top

Food for you: Poutine. Alumni Burger. Fries. Onion rings. A hot dog. You literally cannot go wrong at X Burger. Everything is amazing. Try the poutine if you are a first timer, and do not be afraid to get the large. If you are feeling especially inspired, get a poutine alongside an alumni burger. You will not regret it. Additional advice: I cannot say enough good things about X Burger. It is good at any time of the day, and if you end up there early in the day, they have fresh pressed orange juice. The only item on the menu I have not been overly impressed with was the onion ring poutine, so I advise you to steer clear of that and stick to the original poutine with french fries.

of it. Be careful when you’re eating it for the first time. The cheese may slide off and ruin whatever clothing you have on - I know from experience. Also make sure you get donair sauce, ESPECIALLY if you are not from Nova Scotia. It’s a game changer. Situation: You are leaving High School Dance Party at Piper’s Pub. Where you’re going: Kenny’s Pizza. Food for you: If you’re in a rush to get home: a slice. If you and your friends want to sit to eat there and people watch: onion rings or chicken fingers. Additional advice: If you decide to get a slice, make sure you ask for ranch dressing on the side. Kenny’s slices are fantastic with ranch. When I lived in residence, I always kept a bottle of ranch dressing in my mini-fridge because it’s good on any food imaginable.

Situation: You and your roommate have just decided to watch a movie, and you need some greasy grub to pair with a chick flick. Where you’re going: You are ordering from The Wheel again. There is no shame in being on a first name basis with Mike from The Wheel.

Situation: You are walking around off campus, and do not want pizza. Where you’re going: X BURGER.

Food for you: Bacon Garlic Fingers. Go for a larger size, as they reheat well and are also fantastic cold. If you are a vegetarian, remove the bacon from the equation but still order the garlic fingers. For all of you Ontario kids that do not know what garlic fingers are, they are in the shape of apizza, and cut into strips. They’re cooked pizza dough, garlic butter, cheese, herbs, and bacon. They are amazing and very easily shared. Additional advice: Another perfect food to smother in ranch dressing. Situation: The library has just closed, and you need fuel for the next few hours of late night studying. Where you’re going: For a walk up James Street. Food for you: I would recommend going where there is caffeine first. Tim Hortons will fulfill that need, and then you can choose from McDonald’s, Subway, etc. Additional advice: Do not push yourself through university surviving on caffeine alone. You need to sustain your late night study habits with food as well as caffeine. Eat a sandwich and get back to studying!

The ‘dos’ and ‘donts’ of frosh week Your basic guide to getting the most out of your frosh week experience

SEBASTIAN JURGA Staff Writer So it’s that time of year again. Welcome to X, froshlings. You’re out of the pond and into the ocean now, so to speak, and there’s a lot of things that are different here compared to high school. Don’t fret though, luckily for you, your upperclassmen are here you guide you! Unless, of course, you’re in MacDonald (too soon?). Well, if you’re too shy to ask around, or happen to have an apparent lack of second years around for guidance, here are a few not so obvious Dos and Donts for your first week on campus. So where to start? I guess first and foremost, the drinking. God, there is a LOT of liquor consumption in your first week here. If that works for you, awesome. Lots of people love inebriating themselves. But just remember, know your limit. Which brings me to my first don’t for all you youngins: Don’t drink just because a second year tells you to. Seriously. A good rule of thumb for drinking is if you can’t remember the specific number of

drinks you have consumed in the night, take a break. Maybe have some water or something. That being said, my first do is kind of contrary to the first don’t. Do drink hard liquor. This isn’t the most obvious tip I’ll give you, and I simply say this because there’s not a lot of time to get and keep a buzz on during frosh week. It’s much easier to chase a shot or two in the ten minutes you have before and after events than it is to drink the same number of beers or coolers, and it causes less bathroom breaks as well (having to pee during the water balloon fight really sucks). Not that I would ever indorse or recommend drinking before or during events... So that covers alcohol consumption - time for some basic tips on how to drink like a sailor (and outlast your roommate). So, first off, despite what everyone says about the freshman fifteen, in your first week do eat a lot of greasy, fatty foods. Alcohol is soluble in most fats. Alcohol is absorbed through the stomach lining. Fat sticks to the stomach lining. You don’t need to be a scientist to realise that

eating the pizza ‘n fries at meal hall (questionable as they are, I know) is a good idea to get you drunk over a longer period of time, in a safer manner. Finish the night with the Wheel pizza too, because it tastes great, and the bread and fat will help soak up the rest of the junk in your stomach before you PTFO for the night in your uncomfortable twin bed. On the other hand, don’t drink sugary beverages. I mean that’s something you should avoid even when you’re not drinking - that junk will rot your pearly whites like a popsicle on the sidewalk. When you’re drinking though, all it does is dehydrate you, giving you that skull crushing headache in the morning. So what do? Mix with water my friends. Add Crystal Light if you fancy. You’ll hydrate and get drunker by the hour! Win-win! Also chug-a-lug like four glasses with your Wheel. You’ll be golden. Anyways, that’s all there is to the drinking, but now for the arguable most important part of frosh week: the networking. No, I’m not talking about Instagram

and Facebook ya chumps, I’m talking about forming connections and making friends that you can rely on and enjoy for the rest of your time here at X. Do talk to people, and do not keep the door to your room closed. Frosh week, anything goes. Accept and be accepted, the campus is your social oyster. Talk to whoever, go wherever, it’s not weird to walk up to some random you don’t know and say hi. Starting with a compliment is always a good idea. And trust me on this, the second years aren’t scary. Talk to them especially, you need those connections to be strong, so later on they can help you with… things. They know people. Which is useful. Alright, since you frosh probably don’t have very much time on your hands, I’m gonna finish this article up with the following: don’t take rivalries too seriously. They aren’t even relevant to events on campus until second semester really. Insulting someone’s mother just because they live down the hall is a sure fire way to end up with a few enemies, and maybe even a broken nose.

Do respect the authority, both in and out of residence. The RAs are people too you know. With hopes and dreams and what not. They are just doing their job, and giving them a hard time means you’re a terrible person who probably deserves the write-up. If you happen to get tangled up with the 5-0, just know this: the Antigonish RCMP is full of very reasonable people. Trust me, I’ve lived here for most of my life and had a few brushes with them myself, and they do not want to make your life difficult unless you are making there’s in turn. If you comply, apologize, and admit you are in the wrong, 9 times out of 10 they will let you off with a warning, even if you were acting a complete fool. Most importantly, just enjoy. Go with the flow. You’ll figure it out frosh, we all do. *Please, please don’t drink 151 or anything stronger. Seriously, don’t be that guy: “look goiz im sew cool cus I got hard drankz” as 2 hours later your friends are hip tossing your KO’d body onto your twin bed. See above - it’s not even comfortable.

saturday september fifth, 2015

25 THOUGHTS EVERY FROSH HAS ON MOVE-IN DAY LAUREN AGNEW Senior Reporter Whether you’re miles away from home or just down the street, going to university is a major life event. If you’re reading this however, you’ve fortunately chosen the best place you can possibly spend the next four years. From frosh week to X-Ring, the next 1,195odd days are going to be filled with meal hall, house rivalries, insane amounts of snow, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

and more crows than you’ve ever seen (you’ll understand soon). But regardless of where you came from, or where you’re headed, each StFX experience begins on move-in day. So just in case you were feeling a little overwhelmed, here’s a list of 25 thoughts every frosh has on Sept 5, because you’re definitely not alone:

Hey, this place is nice. Oh wow. What is all that pink. What’s an O-Crew. Why are they yelling? Oh hey that’s a fun song. I could be into this. Woooo. Mom, stop. So many people. So many friends? Time to take an ID picture. Ok. Don’t mess this up. Wait, I think I blinked. Hi, Dr. MacDonald (be cool, be cool). Moving on. Ok where’s my bed? Hey roomie! Sorry for stalking you on Facebook all those times… On the plus side, we definitely have the same taste in music. This room is sweet. Am I really going to need that desk though? Mom, I can unpack my own clothes. Okay fine, you do it. I’m going for a walk with my roommate and we’re going to be best friends. This place is REALLY nice. MEAL HALL THO. Mom what are you still unpacking? What is that? Do I need that? I don’t even know what that does? Ok bye parents I must follow the yelling pink crowd. LETS GET A LITTLE BIT ROWDY, R-O-W-D-Y. I love you too, Mom. Yes, I promise to call. No, not every night. I love this place. Wait, how many more days until X-ring?

Confessions of a meal hall addict AIDAN HASSELL Staff Writer It’s the start of a new year and a chance to come clean: I have, over the course of my first year, developed a compulsive habit for meal hall. Last year, for my first year on campus, I selected the 17 meal-per-week plan, so the building was almost my sole source of food for the year. While some might think that being committed to the fate of cafeteria food for a whole year is a harsh sentence, I was, shockingly, fine with it. More than fine, in fact: I loved meal hall. I was hooked from the start. I confess it: I am addicted to this place. Meal hall is a buffet of options. You can get staples like wraps, sandwiches, salads, and soup, of course, but there is so much more. Meal hall also offers custom personal pizzas, grilled foods, and stir-fries line-cooked as you like it right before your eyes. The food is even better at breakfast and brunch: the stirfry line makes omelettes, and the soup pots hold hot oatmeal. Meal hall also has some of the best granola I’ve ever had, right beside the variety of Saturday morning classic cereals. Meal hall is also, incidentally, a literal buffet, so fill your plate(s) until your heart’s content. With so many food options ripe for the picking, it’s not easy to find cause for complaint. But it gets better: every season brings new holidays, and with them new food motifs. Thanksgiving and Christmas bring turkey and gravy; St. Patty’s and

Va l e n t i n e ’ s bring green and pink. Meal hall holds huge banquets on many school and cultural holidays, too. And this is all without mentioning weekly food specials, like bacon Friday breakfasts and sundae Sundays. What really makes meal hall exceptional is its wonderful, friendly staff. These are some of the most patient, caring people I’ve ever met (and they have to be, given the drunken jungle that is Homecoming). The people of Antigonish as a whole are what I had hoped for when I came to the Maritimes: friendlier than anywhere else, but not in an imposing way. From Donelda who makes omelettes, to Annette, the most sociable person to ever swipe a student ID, every employee makes you feel a little happier and more grateful to have come to this school. I am smitten with everything about meal hall. The food is good and the people better, and they both deserve to be recognized and celebrated. So here’s to still-drunk brunches, to taking many more bananas than we’re supposed to (or, for the

Photo: StFX University Facebook

more audacious among us, engaging in full-on cereal heists), and to falling irrationally in love with meal hall crushes we’ve barely spoken with. Meal hall is the hub and spark of student life at this school: it’s where we come together, both to talk about the events of the night before and to cure our hangovers with a ton of food. This place iembodies the community vibe, the friendliness, and the love that defines all of StFX, just at a more concentrated dose. If loving this home of mine and the food they serve here makes me an addict, then I don’t want to be clean.

Advice from a two-time frosh Expert tips on how to be the best frosh you can be CAITLIN VANCE Columnist You arrive on campus the morning of orientation day with feelings of excitement, fear, happiness, and everything in between. Your time has finally come: after months of waiting you have successfully made it onto campus for the first time in your university career. It feels almost surreal to actually be here about to start your four year journey at the best school ever. But truthfully, you have absolutely no idea what to expect for these first seven days at X. Having personally made the transition into a new university twice over the past two years, I have a list of things that I wish I knew before starting life at a new school to share with all the froshies coming into X this year.

everyone is feeling at least mildly uncomfortable. I have made numerous amounts of friends during both of my frosh weeks by simply giving someone a compliment and then introducing myself. Who knows, this first exchange may be the start of an incredible friendship! Everyone is kind in their own way, but even simply giving someone a smile makes you appear 10x more approachable. After all, kind words and good manners never run out of style. Tip #3: Take advantage If there’s one thing I could have done better during both of my froshes it would be to take

advantage of the entire week as much as I could. The joy of no classes, the freedom of finally being on your own and away from home, and the fact that there are tons of froshies just waiting to meet you is a victory in itself. The frosh events are always a little wild and out of the ordinary, so don’t be afraid to get a little crazy and let loose! The week will turn out to be that much better if you dive head on into frosh week and take advantage of all that it has to offer. Tip #4: Get to know the campus There’s nothing worse than

running around 5 minutes before your first class with no idea where or how to get there. I recommend attending class orientation day to get a good idea of where to go for class and what to expect for the first few days. Don’t be afraid to ask any of the friendly o-crew members about anything and everything regarding campus life. You’ll need to know where meal hall, the gym, the library, and many other buildings are located for your time at X. Our campus is definitely one of the smaller ones in Canada, but it’s still a good idea to get familiar with the place in the first few days so you have a basic idea of

how to navigate for the next four years.

versity experience tenfold. While you’ll likely make some of your best friends in residence, there’s also a chance that the only things you have in common with your roommate is that neither of you smoke and that you both stay up past midnight. By opting to get involved with any one of the dozens of societies on campus, you’re setting yourself up to meet likeminded people with similar interests. Moreover, you get to do what you love, whether it be theatre, radio, your discipline, or anything else you and your friends feel like starting up. StFX has something for everyone; you just have to get out there and find it.

It gets better. The next four years will be some of the best years of your life, but that’s not to say that things will always be easy, especially at the start. There will be times when you’ll feel lonely, homesick, and/or like an absolute disaster; it might not always seem like it, but things do get better. Your experience is your own to shape. If you hate your res, you can switch. If you can’t stand your roommate, you can switch. If you realize your program isn’t right for you, you can switch. You have endless resources at your disposal, including thousands of people on campus who are excited to be here and will strive to ensure that you are too.

Tip #5: Enjoy yourself! This last tip is to simply get loose and enjoy yourself. All the mumbo jumbo of worrying about getting good grades and staying on top of things can wait for another time (more than likely after next week). You’re only ever an X frosh once, so live it now. Attend the frosh events, be yourself, and enjoy it while it lasts. Frosh week is amazing and a great time to meet tons of interesting people! Best of luck to all of you; I’ll see you around campus.

Tip #1: Everyone’s in the same boat I know how cliche this one sounds, but the high school musical theme song “we’re all in this together” deems fit for this first tip. Every single frosh is experiencing the same emotions and transitions during frosh week. New school, new friends, new home, basically new everything; first year university is a huge change for anyone to adjust to! It helps to realize that even though you may be feeling out of your comfort zone, so is everyone else around you. If you can go into frosh week thinking this way, it will be much easier to relate with those around you. Tip #2: Be kind Personally I think the best thing you can do in any situation is to be kind. This pertains especially to frosh week, where

Life after frosh week The reality that comes at week’s end EMILY KEENAN Opinions Editor

navigate your way through the semester.

Over the course of this week you’ll hear countless times that frosh week is going to be the best week of your life. While this may be a slight overstatement, it definitely ranks as one of the most exciting times in your life. This September marks one of the biggest transitions in your life and the beginning of four amazing years. That being said, as the initial excitement of orientation starts to fade and the hangover you postponed for a week finally sets in, so too does the reality and routine of the academic year. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you

You’re here to go to school. This may sound like something your Dad would say (in fact, this is exactly what my Dad said to me), but there’s a lot of truth to this statement. There’s no denying that X is a party school. College living is intoxicating, and between residence rivalries and campus pride you’ll have some of the craziest nights (and days) of your life here. Amid all that however, it’s important to keep in mind that you’re here to get an education. It’s fine to party all night, so long as you had a productive day spent in class rather than in bed. You’ll be

surprised by the unprecedented amount of time you have on your hands, and also surprised by how easy it is not to take advantage of it. The trick to being successful at university is learning how to balance. Nobody wants to be the one who parties too hard and drops out after Christmas, but the thought of never leaving the library is equally unappealing. It’s important to have fun, but equally important not to forget your reasons for being here in the first place. Get involved. This is perhaps the most oftrepeated piece of advice, and with good reason. Extracurriculars will enrich your uni-

saturday september fifth, 2015

Congrats, Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Been Accepted

EMILY KEENAN Opinions Editor

Top to bottom: Claire Quiron, Devin Manning, Bry Crabbe

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY President and Vice Chancellor: Dr. Kent D. MacDonald Dear first years, We are pleased to welcome you to your first week at St. Francis Xavier University. Please find below a list of all necessary books and equipment, and a guide to life at Canada’s premier undergraduate institution. Your experience officially begins on September 7th, 2015 at 7 PM in the University Chapel. We anticipate your arrival, and wish you the best through to your convocation on May 5th, 2019. Yours sincerely, The Xaverian The Official Student Newspaper of St. Francis Xavier University since 1895 .........................................................................

.........................................................................

UNIFORM First year students will require:

One set of robes (black). One cap (black) for ceremonial wear. Three sloppy library outfits (may also substitute wearing the same pair of sweatpants all week). One warm jacket and one cheap jacket for pub-wear (to be lost). One pair of rain boots (Hunters an asset). Outfits for Country, Hawaii, High School Dance Party, and Islander themed nights.

SET BOOKS All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Community Code: The Fun Police’s Guide to Staying Safe 67 Different Ways to Make Kraft Dinner A Frosh’s Life: The Year I Said Goodbye to Good Alcohol How Not To Spend All Your DCB in One Term 101 Ways to Hate Acadia Trimac Haircuts: An Illustrated Chronicle A Guide to Avoiding Write-Ups: Deny Til You Die And one of the following: BURmac: A History; ed. 1

burMAC: A History; ed. 2

OTHER EQUIPTMENT 1 large funnel Find my iPhone 2 pieces of fake ID (if necessary) Patience for the line-up at the Inn Shotgunning skills Self-decency Power nap pillow STUDENTS ARE REMINDED TO BRING THEIR STANDARDS WITH THEM WHEN THEY GO OUT

saturday september fifth, 2015

culture

EDITOR: RACHEL REVOY xw.culture@stfx.ca

Saying goodbye to your high school sweetheart

Adjusting to single life in university RACHEL REVOY Arts and Culture Editor Frosh: some of you had to make the decision to say farewell to your high school sweetheart in order to begin a new life at university. Although it might be a tough transition now, I’m here to tell you that it might not be as bad as you expect it to be. #1: You will change so much, and deserve to change on your own. Why not choose selfishness for once in your life? Why would you not allow a portion of your young and beautiful life to be yours exclusively? People change, and the time at StFX will inspire great change in you. Leaving someone else may help allow for your own personal growth and improvement. Saying goodbye to your partner from home may allow you to change in great ways without the worry of remaining a certain identity in order to please someone else. The fact of the matter is, you will subconsciously change with your partner in mind when participating in a relationship. Every new decision, every new hairstyle, every plan to go somewhere, you’ll have their interests in mind. Without their presence, the decisions you make won’t reflect someone else’s ideas. Your values and beliefs will be the only consultation on what you do, and that can be a very significant part of how you will develop throughout these next four years. #2: The excitement and newness of being here won’t be hindered by someone back

home. Frosh week at StFX is supposed to be a free and exciting new experience. Having someone to revert to back home, who may be waiting for a text or a phone call, may hinder your ability to live in the present. Frosh week only happens once in your life, and it is an important time to live in the moment and enjoy every second. Perhaps it is best not to let your high school flame affect how you react and enjoy the first week of your new life on campus. Therefore, if you’ve ended things with that person in order to join the X family, then you will be full of freedom, excitement, and newness to enjoy the week (and beyond) any way you choose. #3: Circumstance will no longer be your crutch. In some high school relationships, it’s easier to wonder if the relationship would have existed without the easy circumstance. By this I mean that a couple who met at school or in their hometown occurred in part due to mutual attraction, but partially because of convenience. It was easy to drive over to their house, you had mutual friends and experiences. Everything was simple and it made sense. But how compatible were you outside of that realm? Was it convenience, or an endless passionate love? There is nothing wrong with loving someone because they’re there. Mutual friends make this an easy possibility, or sitting next to them in a class, or living a few blocks over. For relationships to truly last, a certain number of ingredients usually have to be in place: similar values, similar interests, attrac-

tion, mutual belief system, and the like. Your highschool sweetheart may not have fit these criteria, and therefore you should be comfortable with your decision to move on from them. #4: Travel and interesting summer jobs. Here’s a perk: now you don’t have to live with another person’s approval. You left your home, where you cleared things with your parents: why would you replace that overlooking figure with a romantic partner? Live with your own approval. Go away for a weekend, book a ticket to a warm destination for spring break, and do it all without running it past your lover. Even on a smaller scale, go out this weekend without thinking of calling that someone at home. Go out without feeling like you have to act a certain way because someone is expecting something from you. Live for you. Leaving your highschool sweetheart means you will not have the obligation to return back to their town in order to spend your summers together. There are so many summer employment opportunities for students, without them in your sidecar you can be taken anyway to find the most beneficial summer experience full of adventure and without attachment. #5: The people you’ll meet How exciting is the idea that there are so many people to meet. So many people you will run into and something will click. Look for the light in someone’s eyes, feel the vibes they offer for you, and you will be pulled in unforeseen directions. Love should be exciting and endless, and the people

you will meet at StFX will continue to surprise you. The people here will continue to remind you that love with each person is vastly different. No one will give you the same memories as your high school darling, and that is a good thing. They gave you one kind of love, and now you can have another. Some love will be so burning and exciting, some will be comforting and warm. Some will take you on amazing adventures and other’s will teach you more about yourself than you could have discovered independently. Let it all be, and wait and see. For some, the comfort of having their true love back at home to visit on holidays and long weekends is endearing and do-

able. Their relationship with that person may be beneficial in immense ways and they require the support and love that they continue to give you. And it can most definitely work. Even if you are making it work, please ask yourself regularly: how is this relationship beneficial to me? What am I gaining? If there is no longer viable answers for those questions, ask yourself: what is it all for? Ending a relationship with your first love can be an extreme challenge, but it allows for great change. Open the new doors, meet eyes with an attractive stranger, and never regret giving yourself the opportunity to gain more.

Frosh week: a critical perspective

A look into the downsides to frosh week activities Rachel LeBlanc Senior Reporter September. That buzz-kill month you dread each year, when summer wraps up and the Staples stock-up begins. But you are no longer a high school kid - you are a university student. And while you were filled in with the latest mom-and-dad advice, online college checklists, and university pamphlets, we know you are stoked to begin this new chapter of your life. At StFX, September is a month where students gather to celebrate the newest mem-

bers of the family: you. That’s right, this one unbelievable week is organized just for you, first year students, to welcome you with a bang before the school year begins. Every fall, frosh week kicks off the semester across the country. This string of university events, activities and traditions are designed to welcome first year students as one of their own. But recently, frosh week critics are seriously worried about the infamous binge drinking and over-the-top parties that make the week what it is. Over the last few years,

Canadian universities have made headlines with scandals associated with their orientation week activities: from prorape chants, to sexually disturbing articles, to a drinking game that killed a 19-year-old at Acadia University. Frosh week traditions are raising more than just shot glasses - they are raising ethical questions and concerns. Should we really keep doing this? Nothing can possibly compensate the loss of a student, whether it be in a drinking game, a sexual assault or radical hazing gone-too-far.

CBC investigations found more than 700 sexual assaults were reported to Canadian universities and colleges over the past five years, which still leaves a mess of unreported incidents swept under the rug. But despite the mess of scandals and reports, frosh week is still a critical transitional time that teaches students everywhere how to take ownership and control of their lives. Students quickly learn that there are consequences to partying, drinking and experimenting with drugs. They also explore their own bound-

aries, self awareness, and ability to think and make decisions on the fly. The balance between the university experience and safety and security is a delicate one. How then, can we try and maintain a positive frosh week experience at X? Simple: a really good O-Crew and planning committee. Frosh week at X is designed to give students more than just a taste of the university experience. It welcomes you into your new home, one you will share with students from all over the world. It ties you to the best friends you

Safe sex at X Four ways to promote safe sex on campus SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sports and Health Editor Now that you’re embarking on a new chapter in your life, often far away from home, new sexual partners and experiences could be in the cards. While sexual activity is healthy, normal, and exciting, here are some tips to ensuring it is safe too. #1: Consent Rape, although the word remains taboo among college campuses, is something to

ately, call for help, or do whatever necessary to get out of the situation. So you want to make it to second base but don’t want to make it to “home plate?” That’s totally OK. You have the right to say no or halt the process at any time, without receiving pressure or shaming remarks from your partner(s). Therefore just because you may be carrying condoms, drunk texting, in a flirtationship, spending the night, wearing a revealing outfit, or convincing someone

Just in case you were raised in an ultra-conservative “you will have sex and you will die” sort of town, know that your options for protection are endless. Options include, but are not limited to: female condoms, male condoms, and dental dams to prevent STIs. If your partner is of the opposite sex, the birth control pill, the Today Sponge and Depo-Porvera (shot) are some options to prevent unwanted pregnancy, but do not alone ward off the risk of contracting an STI.

STI testing (highly encouraged) or questions in regards to sexual activity, the nurses and physicians in the health centre of the SUB are available Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Staff at the clinic are incredible at finding appointments around your lectures and labs, extracurriculars, etc. PAP smears, STI screening, breast exams, and contraception refills for women can also take place at the pop up Lindsay’s Health Clinic at the Antigonish Women’s Re-

on 275 Main Street. Regardless of what setting you choose, know that supportive resources are available to maintain your sexual health at StFX. Remember, the most important thing you can do if you are sexually assaulted is to report it, and there are many resources on hand to help you through the situation. Reporting the instance will not only help your physical and emotional health, but could help others around you. Don’t be afraid to ask residence staff for more

source Centre on Thursdays between 9 and 4, by appointment. In the case of a sexual assault, multiple resources are available for both your physical and mental health. A sexual health nurse examiner (S.A.N.E) can be contacted 24/7 at 1-877-880-7263. You also have the option of speaking with an RCMP representative, the ER at St. Martha’s Hospital, or a StFX doctor, nurse, and/or counsellor on campus. Individual counselling or group sessions for survivors of sexual trauma is provided by the Women’s Resource Centre. Free, confidential counselling can also be found by appointment on the third floor of the SUB. For men, a gender-specific sexual wellness clinic can be found on Tuesdays from 9-4

information about resources available on campus.

Source: Planned Parenthood take seriously at university. Rape is, without a doubt, a prominent issue lurking among the hallways as illustrated by the countless studies in the United States and Canada such as Emma Sulcowitz’s at Columbia University. Although the number of examples would lead you to believe that consent possesses a murky definition, the law is crystal clear. To start you can only give consent for yourself, so do not tell Paul down the hall that you think Tina says she wants to have sex with him that’s none of your business. In order to give consent you must be in a normal state of mind, therefore an individual has to be conscious and sober enough to agree to participating in sexual activity. You have the right to say no at anytime. Saying no even through your actions (such as physically resisting) or behaviour it is JUST as valid as verbally saying no. If your partner is unable to pick up on these signs, leave immediLeBlanc continued... will ever ever ever meet, that last a lifetime. For the most part, frosh week at StFX is safe, with security, o-crew, residence staff, and others trained to keep you and your peers out of harm’s way. Frosh week at X teaches students how to be responsible and forgo anything they might regret. At X, you are in good hands. It is a campus so closely-knit, that frosh week is one big welcome to the Xaverian family.

that sex is a good idea, it does not mean any member of the party is consenting. Assuming someone desires sex with you without clarity on their behalf is not only egotistical and puts you in the box with narcissists, but acting upon it makes you a criminal in terms of the Canadian law and adds another label to your already pitiful resume of traits. If the definition of consensual sex is in any manner confusing, you shouldn’t be having sex. #2: Contraception So you and your partner have verbally agreed that you’re ready to embark on your first university sexual experience. The next step is to protect yourself from any STIs jumping around campus and, your parents’ worst nightmare, a frosh week conceived baby.

There is no denying that a student’s budget is often dedicated to beer and post-pub pizza, so if you’re stuck in a financial crunch, free condoms can be found at the health clinic on the third floor of the SUB. Also, when you opt into the school’s health & dental coverage it covers 90% of the cost of your birth control. Nothing will be a buzzkill to your first week of classes more than discovering you and the neighbour two doors down have chlamydia, so wear a condom. #3: Know your resource Now that you’re away from mom and dad, you freely can walk/drive to the doctor’s office without having any awkward conversation diverging into your sexual history. When looking to discuss possible contraception methods,

#4: Abstinence? Contrary to early 2000 college movies like Van Wilder, frosh week is not an all consuming, endless pursuit of freshmen having sex. Frosh week is your first exposure to the wild, insanely kind and bright community that StFX prides itself on. Without sounding like a preaching parent, focus on meeting as many people as possible, cheering as loud as your vocal chords can strain and attending every glorious event. Regardless if you’re a virgin, or looking to continue to get lucky, take advantage of this welcoming, non-judgmental school with a reputation of having fun while staying safe!

since you’ve gotten this far...

Want to work for THE XAV? The Xaverian WILL BE HIRING TWO FIRST YEAR STUDENTS IN OCTOBER INTERESTED? SEND A COVER LETTER, RESUMe, and WRITING SAMPLE TO xw.eic@stfx.ca

saturday september fifth, 2015

‘Dos’ and ‘donts’ of living in residence How to thrive in StFX’s infamous residence culture RACHEL LEBLANC Senior Reporter Whether you are dying to flee the nest this September, or a little worked up over doing your own laundry, living in residence at StFX will be an experience like none other. From our fierce house rivalries to weekly events, you have a lot to get excited about. As you take the next few days to unpack your suitcases, take a second to acknowledge the dos and don’ts of living in residence. Yes, there are protocols to make the transition easier (and yes, we include laundry). #1 - Do meet your floor mates: Unlike high school, not all of your university classes are taken with the same students, making friendships harder to form. Luckily, you live with a house filled with students who share the same challenges as you. You may find yourself stepping out of your comfort

zone once in a while, but once you have made friends that live as close as a few doors down, your experience at StFX will sky rocket. #2 - Don’t “make friends” at 4 in the morning: While I am all for chit chatting over Kenny’s pizza, no one is fond of the idea at 4 AM on a Tuesday. There are quiet hours in residence that are to be respected. Please be mindful, or you’ll face the consequences. #3 - Do keep your room clean on a regular basis: Yes! Invest into a broom or a vacuum and use it. Having a clean room will come in handy when unexpected visitors arrive - they’ll be impressed when there isn’t a dust bunny in sight (or worse, a week-old sandwich). Learning to keep a room consistently clean and tidy will pay off in the long run. #4 - Don’t overdo your

FORGING YOUR PATH IN A NEW PLACE RACHEL REVOY Arts and Culture Editor Creating space in the university setting is crucial in forging a positive personal experience. While getting involved, you can discover a place that is uniquely yours in order to leave a lasting mark on the time you spend at StFX. Why are students at StFX so happy? There is a place for everyone. The diversity of the programs and the number of societies allow for students to find a place where they can flourish and grow into the happiest students possible. There really is something for everyone, and it is important to get involved so you can find and enjoy your something. Getting involved in something you care about will allow you to find like-minded people who will create a great group of lasting friends. These people will have the same interests, and the barrier of awkwardness can be broken by the mutual desire to be involved in the same thing. It had been said that at the end of your undergrad the friends that will continue to be in contact with you are the ones that were met through extracurricular experiences. This is based off of the idea that lasting friendships will remain between people that you genuinely share interests with;

therefore, making friendships with people who have common interests creates a great friendship foundation. Diving into a nook where you can create your own personal space will allow you to thrive. This space adds elements to your time at StFX that will make you well-rounded and developed in ways that you wouldn’t have been if you had never joined that society. Experiencing what a society has to offer will not only add to your own personal growth, but it may also add to your resume. Finding the place where you feel the most “you” is an experience everyone should strive for. Discovering a place that will allow you to express and focus your passions is a great part of living in a new place. Everyone should enjoy the residence they are placed in and the classes they are enrolled in while experiencing a society that adds to their life in unique and necessary ways. There are so many places to leave your mark and make an impression that will leave you feeling like you made a difference in the time you spend in Antigonish. Let your individuality flourish in an area that means something to you. Forge a radio personality on CFXU, play on intramural teams, debate on the debate team, write for The Xaverian, and make this experience truly your own.

scents: While you might find Glade’s apple-cinnamon room spray so relaxing, your neighbour could be allergic to it (or just hate it). Your dorm is by all means your space, but when the aromas seep into the halls and into other rooms, you may be invading their space. Your walls don’t block off everything, so pay attention to the intensity of fragrances and room sprays. Moderation is key. #5 - Do keep your door open once in a while: You will be amazed at the people you will meet! Leaving your door open will give you an opportunity to make new friendships that, who knows, may last a lifetime! #6 - Don’t keep your alarm ringing at 4 am: If you are waking up early for any reason, jump back to tip #4 and remind yourself that moderation is key. The volume of your alarms and music

should be not be so loud they wake everyone else up. #7 - Do make time to do your laundry: Laundry should take approximately an hour and a half to complete. So whether you decide to make it a weekly or bi-weekly chore, make sure to hang around for the entire duration. Many students (including myself) have had laundry taken during cycles. Because your laundry rooms are often located near a residence lounge area, it’s a great idea to work on an assignment as you keep an eye on your load. #8 - Don’t hit the washroom without slippers: Residence washrooms are most often shared, and no one really knows how clean the person was before them. Thus, it is highly highly recommended to wear your slippers or flip-flops to, in, and out of the shower and bathroom. You, and everyone else, will appre-

ciate it. #9 - Do clean up after yourself: In light of our bathroom talks, keep in mind that bathroom space, hall space and building space is all shared. Take time to pick up any toiletries, food, or products you are deciding to leave behind and toss them in the trash. Remember, this is your shared house. If it is not what you would do back at home, don’t do it here. #10 - Don’t be scared! You are about to embark on the biggest journey of your young life! Living in a StFX residence is like a dream come true, with friends around every corner for all those ups and downs that life throws at you. Your first year as a university student will definitely take some adjusting, but nothing will help more than living with students who are in the same boat as you. Go ahead - mingle! You will learn from everyone you meet everyday.

From the Editor:

Greetings from the basement of the Students’ Union building! First of all, here’s my cliche “welcome to StFX, congrats on making a great decision” spiel. But for real, you did good kid. Congrats on joining one of the most die-hard, bad-ass alumni networks in the world. You’ll see in the picture above that I’m a second generation Xaverian, with my mom Kim (MacPhee ‘92, for the alumni), so I may have heard a thing or two about alumni in my day. But enough about me! Back to you guys: this issue is for you, dear froshlings. Although this paper covers a lot of the stuff that your professors, RAs, and admissions staff won’t tell you, there will be so much more that you will learn for yourself in the coming days and weeks. Although I thought I was ridiculously prepared to jump into university when I started two years ago, I learned way more by doing and experiencing and trying new things out. Midterms are scary shit. Study. For real. Wearing a lanyard with your ID card around your neck will identify you as a frosh and that’s not a bad thing, no matter what upperclass men say. Memorize your postal code (and horoscope, and favorite movie, and blood type) on your fake ID. Down time, drink. Meet people outside of your residence but don’t get obsessive about residence rivalries. Date boys or don’t - just be safe. Watch the X-Ring ceremony, eat pizza (Kenny’s...), and call home once in a while, wouldja? And finally, as Rachel describes in the story on the left-hand side: get involved in the campus and off-campus communities. It really will make all the difference in your university experience. So on that note, I invite you to attend the Xaverian’s first contributor meeting of the year, Mon Sept 14 at 6pm. We’re located in the basement of the SUB, we have pizza, and we <3 contributors! See you next week! Julia O’Hanley Editor-in-Chief

distractions NEW YEAR, SAME JOKES.

EDITOR: TY KINGSTON xw.distractions@stfx.ca

Back-to-School Word Search

1. Why do magicians do so well in school?

2. Why did the M&M go to school?

3. If you had 13 apples, 12 grapes, 3 pineapples and 3 strawberries, what would you have?

4. What’s the king of all school supplies?

5. Why did the broom get a poor grade in school?

1. They’re good at trick questions. 2. Because he really wanted to be a Smartie! 3. A delicious fruit salad. 4. The ruler. 5. Because it was always sweeping in class!

How Your Mind Ages at X: Frosh Week

Fourth Year

saturday saturday september september fifth, fifth, 2015 2015

sports and health

EDITOR: SHELBI KILCOLLINS xw.sports@stfx.ca

THE BALANCING ACT How to manage your time like a student athlete LAUREN AGNEW Senior Reporter As any upper year student will tell you, the ability to organize your time and manage stress is a talent that many of us aren’t even aware that we are missing; that is, until paper season of your first year. If you’ve ever been in the library between Thanksgiving and Christmas, or between reading week and grad weekend, then you’ve noticed the hoards of sleep-deprived twenty-somethings, desperately clinging to the final dregs of motivation the semester has to offer. But don’t be fooled by all the sighing, coffee guzzling, and passive aggressive posts on Spotted at StFX; there are students who have the timemanagement thing figured out. Believe it or not, if you’re looking for some time-management tips, the first person you should ask is an athlete. Whether they play varsity sports, club sports, or are purely gym enthusiasts, athletes have pretty much mastered scheduling and setting priorities. They understand (and are constantly reminded) that school comes first, because to remain eligible to compete means maintaining a specific average. Athletes also have very little time that is

not spent on or in the court/field/ ice/gym, which means any free time is usually spent productively. And for the record, napping can count as being productive. Sleep is one of the best ways to help your body and mind remain healthy and fully functional. While there are some students who swear by late-night studying, early morning studying, and even all-nighters, athletes frequently don’t have the option of refusing sleep. Not only does that make morning practice incredibly difficult, but paying attention in class when both your brain and your muscles are tired is next to impossible. Plus, studies are now showing that your brain can’t do anything with the information you gained by studying until you allow it to rest, preferably for six to eight hours. If you don’t believe me when I say there are actually enough hours in a week, I’ll give you an example. Dr. Sasho MacKenzie, StFX’s resident biomechanics professor and golf expert, has broken down a week in the life of a typical student-athlete. Although the schedule is designed to depict student-athletes, his version of time management could also be applied to anyone with a part-time job, extracurricular ac-

tivities, or even just a heavier course load. So here’s the shortened version of the breakdown: there are scheduled and unscheduled parts of every week, but the way to stay on top of everything is to schedule the unscheduled parts. That sounds counterintuitive, but let me explain. Athletes have a class schedule, a practice schedule, and a game schedule. Each of these takes up an allotted amount of time. The time that is left over has to be reworked in the most efficient way possible in order for everything to run smoothly. For example, if there is a morning practice the next day, an athlete will not stay up later than absolutely necessary the night before. This means that other times throughout the week are used to complete the work that could have otherwise been done at night when the athlete decided to sleep. Just like an athlete’s body cannot function on sleep deprivation, neither can a student’s brain. Having an exam the next morning shouldn’t mean stay up all night cramming. It means rearrange the week so that cramming is not the only option. Dr. Mackenzie’s organizational model ultimately details how it

Photo: Dr. Mackenzie’s breakdown of a well-organized week, not including 7 hours of sleep per night is possible to sleep normally, spend a good amount of time on schoolwork and still have plenty of time left over for fun. While there is inevitably going to be days when you have to complete three papers, hand in two assignments, and solve world hunger before noon the next day, don’t let stress become the only reality. Work harder on Tuesday so that you can go out Wednesday and not be hungover AND behind in school on Thursday, because there’s really only room for

one of those things. If your brain can’t keep track of all your assignments, tests, extracurricular activates, get an agenda! The simple act of writing everything down in one place can be an incredible stress reliever. At the end of the day, if things get really tricky and you can’t find a way to make it work, speak to your professors. They likely have more than a few suggestions on how to improve your habits and performance, and it never hurts to put in a little extra effort.

sleep once in a while. After many late nights, the no-sleep habit will get to you. However, one of the best things that you will discover is the beauty of naps. You can take naps during the day! They are a wonderful invention (just don’t nap in class). Catnaps are very effective and often save you from daydreaming in class. Plus, unlike in high school when your classes were back-to-back, often times there will be breaks, small or large, between classes

ideal for fitting in a nap. The most important lesson I learned in my first year at StFX was to listen to your body. Your body is a lot smarter than you think it is. If your body is craving something in particular, give your body what it wants. It might need sleep, it might want to get exercise, or it might need to have a night off with friends. If you listen to your body, you will see success in your first year at X.

Personal well being

Things to keep in mind when adapting to life at university LINDSAY JOHNSTONE Columnist Flooded with information about course scheduling, how to make friends, what to major in, and all of the stuff in between? The most important thing to keep in mind while you adjust to university life is to maintain your personal well-being. It is not so simple to adjust to a successful university life. The first few weeks of school are often the most challenging. Getting used to living in residence, making new friends, eating at meal hall, and adjusting to the new amount of homework you have can be a very overwhelming experience. Not to mention the on-going texts and calls from your parents who want to know all about your first time at university. The main principle to remember during your first year of university is to always maintain your personal well being. The biggest adjustment (speaking from experience) is figuring out how to balance your personal life with your academic life. It will take likely your entire first year to nail down how the bal-

ance will work for you, and everyone has their own unique balance. The challenge will be to manage the stresses of all streams. Learning How to Learn In your first year of uni life you will learn how to learn. Learning at university is a lot different than learning you have experienced in the past. You will soon find out what methods of learning suit you: you will not be spoon-fed information anymore. A lot of what you learn is actually taught by you, outside of class, and not by your profs. My biggest struggle in my first year was to figure out the balance between having my nose stuck in a book and finding time for a social life. A hint: you can’t read everything in detail that your profs will assign. You need to pick and choose what you must prioritize to read and teach yourself how to effectively “skim read” if necessary. Now, I am not suggesting not to thoroughly read anything. There will be texts that you definitely will want to read quite carefully, but there may be others that you feel you don’t have to read as

preciselyand can get away with just grasping the main ideas of every paragraph. If you are a slow reader coming into university, by the end of your first month your speed will likely improve. Consider getting guidance from the Writing Centre. They can help you with reading, writing and note taking. These are critical skills and the sooner you develop them, the better your university career will be. Adjusting to Eating at X Among the many new adjustments you will be going through, one of the main ones is eating food that is not home cooked. You will love the food at meal hall for the first two weeks, however it starts to get unappealing pretty soon. Don’t eat too many carbs. Maintaining personal well being means eating the nutrients that your body wants. If you don’t eat well then your concentration level will go down and you will find studying more of a challenge. Making Time for Sleep One of the other main principles is to try and get a full night’s

What to expect from StFX sporting events What not to miss on the field, the court, or the ice SHELBI KILCOLLINS Sports and Health Editor Guaranteed before ever receiving your acceptance letter to X, you watched the retro MTV’s Best University in Canada video featuring our beautiful institution, read that we have held the highest student satisfaction rate in the country at a whopping 94% (according to Maclean’s magazine) and swooned whenever hearing of an alumni’s experience here. Another factor unquestionably contributing to the diehard Xaverian spirit that continues to draw our community together is our varsity athletic programs and their thrilling games. If you haven’t heard about X women’s rugby, then you have been living under a rock and need to be up in the stands immediately this fall. The women have not only been AUS champs since 1998, but have won gold at nationals four different times, including last year’s 2014 season. Three alumni of our impressive program were also members on the Canadian National Sevens Rugby Team that competed at the 2015 PanAm games. If you’re looking to watch a group of athletes whose inten-

sity rivals that of Rhonda Roussey’s, I encourage you to attend the rugby team’s first home game Sept 11 against Saint Mary’s University. Another X team whose record went nearly undefeated in regular season and brought an AUS banner back to the Keating Centre is the women’s varsity hockey team. The girls also finished fourth in the country last year, losing to Western University who eventually went on to win gold. Although some skilled members of last year’s roster graduated in May, the team is preparing for six new recruits and continues to possess strong leaders who will hopefully propel them to another dominant season. According to head coach David Synishin, “The returning players gained some invaluable experience at nationals last year and will be hungry to get the season started,” a desire that will definitely leave for fast, physical play on the ice. Women’s hockey is kicking off their season by hosting a home tournament that will feature Concordia, Saint Mary’s and Waterloo Sept 24-26. If you’re looking for an event to express your Xaverian pride to its maximum, homecoming weekend is the time. In the

stands just outside the Oland Center you will find a sea of blue and white with hints of glitter from homemade shirts and cheers of “Go X Go!” fueled by beer and Blackflies, as our football team competes against our rival Saint Mary’s. If you want to gain a snapshot into the familial cult of the StFX alumni, be at the Oland Stadium on Oct 3. Finally, if you’d like to be in the presence of legendary Coach K who happens to be featured in the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, I urge you to attend a boys varsity basketball game. Yes, the games are consistently exciting and in-

deed the athleticism is mesmerizing, however to see a coach who’s been at the helm of the team for over 40 years match the intensity of Stan Van Gundy’s (coach of Detroit Pistons) fires you up in way that is unique from other varsity

sports. Regardless of the sport, all X games are a moment to further indulge in your Xaverian obsession, a chance to meet some diehard locals, all while celebrating our talented peers and friends.

Photo: StFX Athletics

THE xaverian OUR STAFF

March 26 Vol 123: Issue 14

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sean McEvoy xw.eic@stfx.ca

ART IST IC COORDINATOR NEWS EDITOR Lindsay Hatt Julia O’Hanley x2012cdi@stfx.ca xw.news@stfx.ca

MANAGING EDITOR Graham Haynes xw.managing@stfx.ca

COPY EDITOR Molly Schreiber xw.copy@stfx.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Lewis Forward xw.feature@stfx.ca

SPORTS & HEALT H EDITOR Aaron Thornell xw.sports@stfx.ca

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Devon Greene xw.culture@stfx.ca DIST RACT IONS EDITOR Kurt Brothers xw.distract@stfx.ca

SENIOR REPORT ERS Angela MacKenzie Izaak Macmullin Rachel Revoy xw.report@stfx.ca COLUMNISTS Laura Aloisio Coltan Thompson

OPINIONS EDITOR Emily MacGregor xw.opinions@stfx.ca STAFF WRIT ERS Lauren Agnew Lindsay Johnstone DIST RIBUT ION MANAGER Devon Chisholm xw.eic@stfx.ca for inquiries xw.managing@stfx.ca for advertising info

FIND US Room 111D, Bloomfield Centre PO Box 924 St. Francis Xavier University Antigonish, NS B2G 2X1

The Xaverian Weekly is the official student newspaper of St Francis Xavier University. The Xaverian Weekly is published on Thursdays by the Xaverian Weekly Publications Board and is editorially autonomous. The Xaverian Weekly is a proud member of the Canadian University Press, North America’s largest cooperative of student newspapers. FREE Media is the Xaverian Weekly’s national advertising agency. opinions

Opinions expressed in the Xaverian Weekly are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Xaverian Weekly or the Xaverian Weekly Publications Board.

All materials appearing in the Xaverian Weekly are copyright their creator(s) and may not be used without permission. submissions

The Xaverian Weekly welcomes submissions of articles, letters, photos, and graphics. Submissions must be received by Friday 5 pm the week prior to publication. Submissions should be sent to xw.eic@ stfx.ca or to the relevant section editor. The editor-in-chief and the section editors reserve the right to refuse to print submitted material and to edit submissions for length and/ or style. The Xaverian Weekly will not print material that is racist, misogynistic, sexist, homophobic, or libellous.

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