funded by the
on behalf of the student body
Making outsiders, Insiders | April 6th, 2022
HEROES OF EARTH Our Battles & How We Cope
VCSA ELECTIONS COMING SOON ! - More info P.3
JACK UNVEILS HIS PERSONAL STORIES - P.6
ENTREVUE AVEC ESPACE TRANSTION - P.4
STORY BEHIND SUPERMAN'S BISEXUALITY - P.8 FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SAVE THE PLANET - P.5
MORE POETRY FROM TWO VANIER STUDENTS - P.10
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BEST YOUTUBE CHANNEL EVER! - P.8
vinsider.ca CAMPUS 3. There's an Election Coming, Right?; Vanier Model United Nations Annual Conference FEATURED 4. Espace Transition: Un programme pour améliorer votre santé mentale; Earth Day 5: Five low-effort environment-friendly habits you should incorporate VOICES 821 Ste-Croix, Saint-Laurent, QC, H4L 3X9 Tel: (514)744-7500, ext. 7059 studentnewspaper@vaniercollege.qc.ca
vcsainsider
5. The Indigenous Appeal to Equity and Community BALLAD OF LONESOME JACK 6. The Autistic EIC: The Truth Behind my Loneliness
ARTS 10. Love Letter to my Enemy; Neverending Longing; Pondering 11. Maple Taffy Fun; Brains or Beauty; Manan's Photo Album FUN PAGE
7. Whister: The School Trip of a Lifetime ENTERTAINMENT 8. Bisexual Superman: The New Man of Tomorrow; Neebs Gaming - The Best YouTube Channel in the World
12. Horoscopes, Dad jokes, Buddle tea recipe, Wordsearch puzzle
...AND SO MUCH MORE!
Wednesday, April 1st | Winter 2020 | Issue 3
1
Wednesday, April 6 | Winter 2022 | Issue 3
EDITORIAL
Editor’s Note
Editor-in-Chief Jacques Wang Assistant Editor-in-Chief Isabella Del Grosso Production Manager Diba General Executives Talia Atallah Roy Lesage Contributors Perry Nikoletos Alex O'Neill Jacques Wang Diba Claudia Bruscia Hero Fajardo Ayubo Isabella Del Grosso Emma Alexia Côté Roy Lesage Manan Suthar Contest winners Krizia Claire Dollete Angelina Charafeddine Miskat Mahmud Layout + Cover Page Design Roy Lesage
Please pass onto a friend or recycle after reading!
Hello, my fellow readers, I want to wish you, as always, a happy reading of the third issue of this semester. I know what you are thinking; how did this semester fly so fast? You’ll probably notice that my articles on this issue are very personal. I want to take this time to thank everyone in my life who shaped me into the person that I am today. Without you, I wouldn’t feel confident to share parts of my life with you. This issue is for you. I also want to congratulate the winners this year’s Fool the Insider contest. I can assure all participants that choosing your memes was challenging for our team. I want to thank everyone for the amazing turnout for this contest and for the new members who joined our Discord server. Keep an eye out for our next contest for the May edition. As always, thanks for picking up one of our newspapers and taking the time to read our articles. See you next time! Jacques "Jack" Wang, Editor-in-Chief
Upcoming Events April 6-8: Vanier Student Life's GeekCon April 8: VSL's Murder Mystery Event @ Jake's April 9: Intercollegiate Jack. org mental health summit @ Vanier's amphitheatre April 12: Creative Writing Reading Circle @ 4pm April 14: VCSA Election deadline April 15: Good Friday - College closed April 17: Easter Sunday April 18: Easter Monday Colleged closed
2
Assistant Editor’s Note
Wednesday, April 6 1st| Winter | Winter2022 2020| Issue | Issue3 3
April 22: Earth Day April 22: MEDLIFE Movie event @ N-building rugby field April 26: Button Making Competition April 30: Campus Clean-Up Day
Hello readers! We hope the second half of the semester is treating you well, or at the very least isn’t that stressful. Just remember that summer is right around the corner! As always, a huge thank you to those who take the time to contribute to the paper and thank you to the participants of our Fool the Insider meme contest. All the contributions were hilarious! Congratulations to our winners and make sure to check out your discord, we will be sending you messages very soon. As always, good luck with your studies, I feel like we all need some, and we hope to see you for our final issue very soon. Isabella Del Grosso, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
CAMPUS
There's an Election Coming, Right?
Perry Nikoletos
We are all completely burnt out at this point. It turns out that running on five hours of sleep every night is like putting diesel in a Formula 1 car. It just won't perform as well as it should. Because of our responsibilities as students, we must carry on with the tedium that is Cegep. There's no way around it. Or is there? It's proven that the students most satisfied with their Cegep experience are the ones most involved in the school community. You are a student. You are presented with the greatest of all political forms, democracy. Use it to its full potential. Whether it be advocating for reduced parking fees, imagining new ways of strengthening student belonging, proposing student consultations, or starting an investment club, you are so very capable of contributing to the Vanier community in so many ways. But let's segue into what brought me to write this article in the first place. The VCSA electoral campaign will take place in the next few weeks. There will be a legion of candidates bringing innovative ideas to the table. I don't know about you, but to say I'm fired up about the upcoming campaign would be the understatement of the millennium. Until then, have a good one!
Vanier Model United Nations Annual Conference Alex O'Neill
Greetings, fellow delegates, Do you have an intense passion for global affairs, past and present? Do you go absolutely bonkers during political discussions with your friends and family? Then the Vanier Model United Nations Club is for you! We will be holding our annual conference on April 23rd and 24th online. Because you’re all special, it is exclusively free for all Vanier students to attend. There is no need to break the bank to have the absolute time of your life debating solutions to geopolitical crises in the South China Sea or a peace deal to quell religious violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland! Also offered this year are committees about finding solutions to reduce global air pollution and a weird “ad hoc” committee about… something. You’ll find out if you sign up. Also appearing at the conference is Mr. John Boylan, the Chargé D’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Ireland in Canada, who will speak about national security and Ireland’s role in maintaining global peace. To find out more about what the heck Model UN is about or learn more about the parliamentary procedure used in formal debate during our conference, scan the QR code on the left of the advertisement. To sign up, you may scan the QR code found on the right of the advertisement. For more information, do not hesitate to contact Alex O’Neill on Instagram, @theoneillster. You may also follow the official Vanier Model United Nations Instagram account, @vaniermodelun, for routine updates regarding the conference or visit our official site, https://www.vaniermun.com/.
VANIER MODEL UNITED NATIONS
SATURDAY, APRIL 23RD – SUNDAY, APRIL 24TH, 2022 Model UN simulates the real United Nations. As a delegate, you will discuss and debate global issues in a diplomatic manner using UN procedure. We are open to beginners and experienced delegates alike! VMUN 2022 will be held via Zoom. Cost: $5 / person. Open exclusively to senior high school, CÉGEP and university students. For more information, e-mail vaniermun@gmail.com. TO LEARN ABOUT MUN, VISIT OUR YOUTUBE PAGE HERE:
TO SIGN UP, VISIT OUR WEBSITE HERE:
This is an excellent opportunity to engage with people from all across North America who share a similar passion for global affairs and debate. We hope to see you put your globally-minded knowledge on display in a few weeks for all to see!
Wednesday, April 1st6 || Winter Wednesday, April Winter 2020 2022 || Issue Issue 33
3
FEATURED
Espace Transition – Un programme pour améliorer votre santé mentale à votre service Jacques Wang “Ça fait deux ans que d’intervenant. On voulait utiliser l’art thérapeutique comme soi. Donc, on avait dit qu’on va j'ai fait Espace mettre des jeunes qui ont un suivi, mais qui sont stables, avec d’autres jeunes qui n’ont pas de suiTransition et ça changé vi du tout. » Espace Transition travaille avec différents arma vie” tistes de plusieurs milieux culturels pour que les participants puissent bénéficier des ateliers. Les jeunes peuvent choisir quelles activités ils préfèrent découvrir entre le violoncelle, l’opéra, le théâtre, la percussion, la danse contemporaine ou d’autres. Pendant une période de douze à treize semaines, ces jeunes sont invités à monter un projet collectif en accompagnement des Gauche: Sylvie Garel, psychoéducatrice et co-fondatrice Droite: Dre. Patricia Garel, psychiatre et co-fondatrice artistes et d’un accompagnateur clinique. « On La santé mentale des adolescents et des jeunes veut que les artistes eux reconnaissent les forcadultes est un enjeu qui préoccupent de plus en es de chacun.e peu importe leur difficulté. C’est plus notre société. Que ce soient des problèmes ça qu’on veut faire ressortir le plus possible, » anxiété, des troubles déficitaires d’attention ou déclare Mme. Gauthier. des pensées dépressives, plusieurs jeunes néAlors, pourquoi les arts? Selon Dre. Garel, les cessitent de l’aide à faire face à leurs difficultés. arts ont été utilisés depuis la préhistoire à faire Heureusement, pour plus de 13 ans, le pro- face à leur peur. « L’homme a trouvé des stratégramme d’Espace Transition offre de nombreux gies pour faire face à ça. Et, dans les stratégies, ça ateliers artistiques dans le but d’aider à améliorer été de créer, ça été de mettre en façon artistique la santé mentale des jeunes de 15 à 25 ans. J’ai la musique, la peinture, la danse pour passer à un eu la chance de m’asseoir avec les organisatrices autre niveau plus spirituel », affirme Dre. Garel, d’Espace Transition pour faire vous faire décou- « quand on a créé Espace Transition, on s’est dit, vrir Espace Transition et comment vous pouvez pourquoi on n’utilise pas ces moyens-là, que tout participer aux futurs ateliers. le monde utilise, pour les jeunes les plus fragiles Affilié au CHU Saint-Justine, le projet d’Espace Transition est conçu est 2009 par la psychiatre Dre. Patricia Garel et la psychoéducatrice Sylvie Gauthier avec le but d’utiliser les arts comme une thérapie. « Dre. Garel et moi travaillons à l’unité interne de psychiatrie [de l’hôpital SteJustine et] on trouvait qu’il avait un manque après l’hospitalisation. Certains [patients] avaient encore un petit peu de difficulté », nous raconte Mme Gauthier, « Ils avaient des médecins, des intervenants, et on ne voulait plus rajouter
adulte qui est importante qui a besoin de support », confirme Mme. Gauthier, « et c’est pour ça qu’on touche aussi aux jeunes après 18 ans parce que c’est aussi important que la transition après une hospitalisation. » Dre. Garel nous raconte comment la vie peut être difficile pour un jeune de 18 ans qui éprouver des difficultés liées à sa santé mentale « L’avantage de se concentrer sur les jeunes de 15 à 25 ans, c’est aussi un moment où on sait si on intervient de la bonne façon, on va améliorer le futur de ses jeunes-là. C’est un moment où tu construis qui tu vas être comme adulte, » rajoute Dre. Garel. Résultats? « C’est toute une beauté, » nous confirme Mme. Gauthier, « Il y a des transformations qui se créent et on a vu des jeunes qui étaient très timides et à la fin ils étaient capables de faire une présentation solo et d’en être fier. Je suis toujours émerveillée treize ans plus tard. »
« Ça fait deux ans que j’ai fait Espace Transition et ça plus ou moins m’a changé ma vie, » nous raconte Zi Yu, un participant de 19 ans. « Non seuleet qui souvent n’ont pas accès à ça, donc ils ne ment, ça m’aide à me distraire de ma vie quotidivont pas forcément bénéficier autant de ce que enne et d’oublier mes inquiétudes, je découvre peut apporter le musée, l’opéra, le chant, etc. Et de quelques choses de nouveaux à chaque atec’est comme ça, ça s’est parti. » lier sur le monde artistique. Honnêtement, je ne L’une des raisons pourquoi Espace Transition penserais pas que j’allais tant en bénéficier. » se concentre sur les jeunes de 15 à 25 ans est Pour participer aux futurs ateliers d’Espace pour aider les jeunes à faire une transition vers la Transition ou pour en savoir plus sur le provie adulte, d’où vient également le nom du programme d’Espace Transition, rendez-vous sur gramme. « Après une hospitalisation c’est une le site https://www.etpsy.ca/. Vous trouverez transition, mais il y a aussi une transition à l’âge également les informations de contacts de Sylvie
Earth Day Diba
Earth Day is on April 22, which is the anniversary of the modern environmental movement that was held in 1970. Earth Day aims to bring awareness about climate change and global warming. Earth Day is universally acknowledged as the world's largest secular celebration, with over a billion people participating each year in a day of action to improve human behaviour and generate global, national, and local policy changes.
sioned by the lack of ambition that followed the Paris Agreement's adoption in 2015 and irritated by international environmental inaction, individuals across the globe are rising up to demand far more action for our planet and its inhabitants. There are many ways to contribute and celebrate Earth Day. We can all participate in activities like picking up litter, planting trees, recycling, etc.
Consider whether anything can be recycled or utilized before throwing it away. You can also limit waste by reducing the amount of things you buy. Turn off the lights. Conserve electrical energy by using only what you need. As the effects of climate change become more obvious every day, the Limit your water usage. Turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth fight for a clean environment is becoming increasingly urgent. can conserve up to eight gallons of water a day. To help save even more waAs awareness of our climate issue develops, so does civil society partici- ter, challenge yourself to take a shorter shower (but still get clean!). You can pation, which is currently at an all-time high all around the world. Disillu- also volunteer to help clean up around your neighborhood or at a nearby
4
Wednesday, April 6 1st| Winter | Winter2022 2020| Issue | Issue3 3
park and around our school campus. Spread the message, and talk to your family members and friends about how they are helping to keep the Earth clean. The more we do towards improving the Earth, the more we can help reduce the effects of climate change. Quick tips for Earth Day and Every Day! •
In its lifetime, one reusable bag can prevent the use of 600 plastic bags.
•
Recycling one can of soda will save enough energy to power a TV for three hours.
•
For every mile walked instead of driven, nearly one pound of pollution is kept out of the air.
Five low-effort environment-friendly habits you should incorporate Claudia Bruscia 3. Try to implement meatless Mondays Most of us have already heard of the 4 R’s: Reduce, reuse, recycle and repurpose. Here are By reducing your meat consumption, you are some different eco-friendly habits you can implealso reducing your carbon footprint. Meatless ment without breaking your head. Mondays are also a great way to discover vegetarian alternatives that are also nutritious, such 1. Collect your pop tabs as tempeh and lentils. Not only will the planet Whether you’re drinking a soft drink or a fruit thank you, but so will your taste buds! punch, it also has a pop tab if it comes in an alu4. Carry a reusable bag with you at all time minum can! By collecting these pop tabs, you can donate them to a non-profit of your choice that Although it might be hard to remember at first, actively participates in such activities. Many charsoon enough, you won’t be caught outside the itable organizations, such as the Ronald Mcdonhouse without your reusable bag. Plastic bag polald House in Montreal recycle them in exchange lution is an important issue as these bags take up for money that will support their cause. to 1000 years to break down. Additionally, having a reusable bag with you is an easy way to reduce 2. Use Ecosia as your search engine your use of single-use items. Ecosia is a green search engine that plants trees 5. Switch from standard shampoo and condithrough the profit made via searches. Through tioner to bar products the income generated by search ads, they ensure the plantation of trees worldwide. Your search This habit is also a great way to reduce your use can contribute to reforestation in Indonesia, Niof single-use items. Shampoo and conditioner also biodegradable and are free from harmful caragua and more. Over 142 million trees have bars are more environmentally conscious as they chemicals. Like typical hair products, there are been planted thanks to Ecosia. don’t have plastic packaging. Most of them are bar soaps for different hair types and scents.
OICES
The Indigenous Appeal to Equity and Community Hero Fajardo Ayubo
For many centuries, the Western world has thought Communism to be an impossible ideal— sometimes even a dystopic nightmare. However, the Indigenous peoples successfully form a society close to the ideals of Karl Marx: “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs''. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer valorizes the ways of Native American culture relevant to communism: the lack of a monetary system, the unity of individuals as a part of a greater community, and the harmony with the larger ecosystem humanity finds itself in. First and foremost, Kimmerer praises the moneyless structure of Native American cultures, a core aspect of communist ideology. While many people can not possibly imagine how a society would function without any form of currency, the freedom from money does not mean the absence
of currency. When she compares the economy of the colonizers with that of her people, she writes, “The currency of a gift economy is. . . reciprocity”. The author also notes that such a system would not be as readily exploited as the modern world currently employs. In a dream where she finds herself going to a stock market, except none of the merchants accept any form of payment, she takes only that which she needs and can’t find the will to overindulge, stating, “Had all the things in the market merely been a meagre price, I probably would have scooped up as much as I could.” From her dream, Kimmerer deduces that exploiting a gift economy would go against basic human nature. Certain items evidently have to be free from a monetary system, known as human needs. Kimmerer warns of the capitalist deprivation of these basic rights when she writes, “Water is a gift for all, not meant to be bought and sold.
Don’t buy it.” These examples show that Kimmerer prefers the Indigenous communist systems over the modern capitalist norms. She further supports communist ideals by promoting a collectivist way of thinking instead of an individualist one. When she explores the scientific and aesthetic cause for asters and goldenrods blooming side by side in the wild, Kimmerer explains that “Growing together, both receive more pollinator visits than they would if they were growing alone.” The two flowers’ colours complement each other, thereby becoming more visually attractive. This same theme is replicated in the Three Sisters garden, wherein three crops growing together achieve more than visual unity. Each of these plants directly benefits the commune: the corn imparts a steady stalk upon which the beans can grow, the beans sup-
Wednesday, April Winter 2020 2022 || Issue Issue 33 Wednesday, April 1st6 || Winter
5
ply usable nitrogen for the group, and the squash defends the family from weeds and intrusive weeds species. “The gifts of each are more fully expressed when nurtured together than alone,” as they share a symbiotic relationship of giving and taking. This collectivist behaviour is used effectively by the flora, and Kimmerer writes that the Haudenosaunee replicate it in their negotiations and discussions. Unlike the United States of America, a nation that creates division by proudly chanting anthems that set them above all others, the people of Onondaga prefer the Thanksgiving Address, a lengthy recital wherein “No declarations of political loyalty are required, just a response to a repeated question: ‘Can we agree to be grateful for all that is given?’”. They instead seek to come together with all others, united in seeking common grounds and achieving their goals. Thus, Kimmerer believes that, by studying the works of nature, the Indigenous peoples prioritize the collective to ensure a better society.
fect formula for innovation without the Earth’s destruction. When she writes about the Thanksgiving Address, she mentions the teachings of Freida Jacques, an Onondaga clan mother: “‘we human beings are not in charge of the world but are subject to the same forces as all of the rest of life.” The Thanksgiving Address reminds people of their role as mere members of a larger ecosystem. Although this role is mostly forgotten in modern society, Kimmerer believes that implementing a gift economy would rekindle the responsibility of caring for nature. According to Lewis Hyde, a British scholar, “‘We tend to respond to nature as a part of ourselves, not a stranger or alien available for exploitation” when a society is structured around a moneyless system. Kimmerer then presents, by way of anecdote, an experiment to test the hypothesis through one of her classes. She takes the students on a camping trip where they work with nature’s bountiful fruits to create shelter and beds and find foods of different sorts. By the last day, the students realize just how much Kimmerer makes a final point by invoking com- they rely on the Earth’s blessings and are in deep munism’s call for a closer consonance between discussion about how they can return the favour. progress and sustainability, its search for a per-
Kimmerer begins to question this behaviour appearing from students who were, at best, merely partially enthusiastic about the whole activity, pondering, “Had we not waded waist-deep in the swamp, . . . made a spruce root basket or eaten cattail pancakes, would they even be debating what gifts they could offer in return?”. It is there that Kimmerer ascertains that humans are not naturally inclined to exploit nature; rather, they have been conditioned by modern societal structures to do so, exactly as great communist thinkers have warned about for ages. Upon reading Braiding Sweetgrass, it is clear that even without mentioning the term “communism,” Kimmerer writes about Indigenous culture as having the three pillars of a successful communist society. The first purges all monetary trade, the second ensures humans work together, and the third acknowledges our roles as members of the greater Earth. If the modern world could adopt these Aboriginal methods, society would perhaps become better.
BALLAD OF LONESOME JACK The Autistic EIC: The Truth Behind My Loneliness Jacques Wang
diagnosis completed the person I am today and expose a little bit of that experience today. I didn't receive my diagnosis until I was sixteen. Growing up, everyone always knew I wasn't like the other kids of my age. I didn't want to have friends because I never felt I needed some. It all changed when I was in high school when I started to bond with my classmates, especially in Secondary IV. My classmates and I always did things together, from group projects to field trips to playing hide-n-seek in the hallways. I did not realize it until now, but the Secondary IV group that I was assigned to made me feel loved by people. It all changed when I moved to Secondary V. All the "friends" I made previous year were transferred to the same group while I was assigned to another group with folks I don't recognize. The good days of my childhood were over. I ain't gonna tell you what happened after that, but it eventually got me to get my diagnosis. Photo credit: My trustworthy right-hand woman and good friend, Isabella Del Grosso
Over the following months, I understood my diagnosis ain't no curse nor blessing. It was an I know what y'all might be thinking. Well, to tell answer to what I am going through as a person. I you the truth, I think I do, but I ain't never sure realized a lot of my life views and beliefs may be about people, and part of me thinks I never will. I a result of my spectrum. Suddenly, I knew why think I know how you might react, but then again, I always tend to have different passions from I don't know how I'd react if I were in your shoes. everyone else. I knew why I aced courses that I But lemme tell y'all this before I begin. I didn't was interested in and bombed those I wasn't inwrite this article to bring awareness to my syn- terested in. I knew why I did not share the same drome, and I do not want to a poster child about philosophy and thoughts as everyone else. But it. All I wish to do is tell my own story and say who the biggest question that got answered – and the I really am. There ain't no one-shoe-fits-all solu- most tragic one, in my opinion – is why I've never tion to what I'm going through when it comes to been able to socialize and became a loner. this subject. That's why I won't say what qualifies For folks who know me well, my struggle with me on the spectrum. Still, I will confess how that
6
Wednesday, April 6 1st| Winter | Winter2022 2020| Issue | Issue3 3
loneliness is my biggest open secret. Until Secondary V, I never thought having friends was an essential aspect of life. It was until I saw how much I missed those group experiences that I realized friends are one of life's most beautiful treasures – a treasure that I took for granted all my life. I realized that nothing in life can be achieved alone – or at least without support from someone close to you. Realizing this error, I had to know to make up for all the experiences I spent in solitude. But there were two obstacles in my way. The best way to describe my syndrome is that I have a custom-made computer as a brain, while everyone else has the same computer from the same brand. There is nothing wrong with my computer compared to yours, but we are not easily compatible. That lack of compatibility hinders my success in forming a strong bond with friends I would like to close with. The second challenge is a matter of timing. By the time I realized the importance of friendships and relationships, I was almost seventeen. Kids of my age already found their friends, partners, and little gangs, while I felt like I was left all alone. I couldn't mingle with other friend circles because of my lack of social compatibility. Where does my loneliness lead me? I hate to admit it, but I sometimes heavily envy people who are together. I hate to think about my jealousy because I don't want my thoughts to hurt nobody and sever a friendship like it did in the past. But when I do, I wish that I felt I had some friends with whom I could spend a Friday night drinking. Friends with whom we can go skiing together in the mountains. Friends with whom I can go on a
road trip together. Friends who will be with me forever and ever, and maybe I could start a family with one of them. All I wish is to feel I'm wanted by everyone in their life, and I want them to show me that affection and not just say it. Friends ain't toys you're supposed to play with for a couple of months before leaving them on the shelf for dust collection. I want to find something permanent. I do not want to hear about "you will find that special someone in the future" because what if tomorrow never comes? I'm tired of waiting for almost twenty years. I feel I'm running out of time, so I wish to find that special someone right now. If all relationships must come to an end, I hope to
be the exception to that rule. I want to choose a beggar. I wanna eat my cake and then have it. I know I have accomplished many things in my life, and I am grateful for them. It really gives me hope about my future and reminds me of how much I can still accomplish in life. However, I can't help but notice that part of me feels incomplete.
time as a Vanier student is coming to an end, I realized our friendship will get severed. I do not want to lose our bond even when we are about to walk on our separate paths. The experience I went through at Vanier has really brought me back to the best of my Secondary IV days, and I don't want that experience to go away. After all I said, you still consider me as my friend; I hope this article will help you understand and shed some light on how you can help me as I transition to university.
For all my friends who are reading this, I cannot express how warm you guys make me feel in my life. I hope you can understand I didn't write Finally, if you relate to my experience, I guess this article to put y'all down. I wrote this because you and I ain't so different after all. I feel like our friendship is drifting away. As my
Whistler: The School Trip of a Lifetime Jacques Wang (Twitter: @LordChickenWang)
Wow, it’s already been four years. It still feels is very different compared to Mont-Tremblant or Bromont. At the top of the mountains, it was like yesterday when I fell in love with Whistler. more powder than a flour factory, lighter than It all happened on Easter Sunday 2018, which a feather, and quieter than walking on a sandy was weirdly the same day as April Fools. Our beach. At the bottom, it was the same sticky group was to meet at Trudeau Airport. We were snow that you’d use to build snowmen and the a total of fourteen students with three teachers snowfort from La Guerre des Tuques. It was the who accompanied us. My dad gave me a brand- perfect ski conditions. Did I forget to mention we new pair of Kastle skis – freshly designed for big were barely in subfreezing temperature? We venmountains like the Whistler. We all went through tured on as many trails as possible – from mounsecurity smoothly, and I grabbed a quick break- tain bowls to the same trails Olympian athletes fast at some local café. Peter lectured us on which competed eight years prior; it really felt we were airplane types were currently docked, demon- surfing among the clouds. It took an entire hour strating his dream of following in his dad’s pilot to ski down from the peak to the bottom resort. footsteps. As we boarded the plane and took off I’ve never been happier. for Vancouver. I was neatly in the back on the leftLater in the evening, we went to a 4-star resside window seat. Mr. Martin, the history teacher sitting next to me, watching First Blood on his taurant to fancy by ourselves to some of Whisown laptop. I couldn’t remember any turbulence tler’s finest meals. I"ll let my gluttony explain during the 4-hour ride. After touching down, we why I forked out $100 on my supper. As always, waited in the airport for our shuttle bus ride to the resort. The Vancouver airport’s marble green walls and Indigenous statues are memorizing. I spent most of my time staring at the runways heading toward the sea. When we left Montreal, the streets were still slushy. Rain and snow were splashing all over the sidewalks. Oddly enough, Vancouver was completely dry. The city known for its pouring rain had a bright and sunny day. We made our way through Richmond, Burnaby, downtown Vancouver, the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge, the swirly suburban roads of West Vancouver, and then the Sea-to-Sky Highway. I couldn’t think of a better name for such a heavenly passageway. It felt like the snow-capped mountain was born right out of the oceans. We stopped at a waterfall, and I practised my parkour skills, jumping among the slippery boulders. The warm BC weather felt like it was truly spring. After a while, we arrived at Whistler and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening shopping, touring the resort and enjoying a pizza picnic for supper.
I impressed my peers and teachers with my knowledge of the province's political landscape. We also spent the evening relaxing in the hotel’s pools and hot tubs. We tried to break the 9 pm curfew imposed by our teachers, but we were too tired to act as rebels after a day of skiing.
The following day, we went to Blackcomb, the other mountain facing the main mountain. In all honesty, Blackcomb is my favourite mountain The next day, we started skiing for the first time. among these two. Why? It’s all because of one We had a guide to help us choose the best slopes trail – the Blackcomb Glacier. Yes, you heard me to ski on. At first, I felt my skiing was very sluggish right. You can ski on an actual glacier. There were and stiff. I got used to the rough and sometimes- no lifts that could take you to the glacier. You had icy slopes back here in Quebec. Whistler’s snow to climb up a steep slope to access the back of
the mountain, but every climb was damn worth it. Then you can find the snow-covered glacier. Visibility that morning wasn’t great at the top. In fact, there were moments on the glacier you couldn’t make up what was ten feet in front of you. But once you were out of the glacier, there was a valley floor where visibility was restored. Our guide was sitting by a log and breaking pieces of a granola bar. He gave us the little bits in our hands and asked us to raise them. The seconds we raised them, a flock of whiskey jacks came and snatched the bar out of our hands. It was such a surreal experience. Feeding those whiskey jacks made me realize how I needed to get out of the house to enjoy nature in the country. There was something so memorizing about the name whiskey jack. Little did I know back then that I would adopt the name a little while later. After supper, I spent the evening with my comrades at the local Tim Horton gossiping about all of our friends to the slow melody of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” Lord, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that song that winter. One thing that our gossiping made me realize was how unique we were. We were a bunch of kids from Quebec in the middle of British Columbia speaking French in a drawl native to where we grew up. It was the first time I’ve ever felt proud being a Quebecer. The following day, our guide and teachers let us venture off on our own. It was the first time since the beginning of the trip that we were allowed to ski by ourselves. I paired up with Simon, Peter, Chloe, and Jasmine with Mrs. Laurence, who was my math teacher, tagging us. We started the day at the main mountain before switching to Blackcomb via the iconic Peak 2 Peak gondola. We were suspended 1,430 feet above the ground, three times the Statue of Liberty. We did the same thing the next day but the other way around. After doing our four straight skiing days, we went to a local ice cream parlour before sadly kissing the resort goodbye. It was a rainy Friday morning when we left Whistler and flew back to Montreal. I don’t know where all my Whistler friends currently are, but I hope at this time of year, they will look back on all the fun memories we all shared together.
Wednesday, April Winter 2020 2022 || Issue Issue 33 Wednesday, April 1st6 || Winter
7
ENTERTAINMENT
Bisexual Superman: The New Man of Tomorrow Isabella Del Grosso If you’re a superhero lover, you’ll know that in recent months, comic book writer Tom Taylor’s adaptation of Superman has gained lots of publicity. Superman’s civilian persona is Clark Kent, but recently he has been out of the picture and his son, Jonathan Kent has stepped up to take on the mantle. Tom Taylor’s series Superman: Son of Kal-El follows Jon’s adventures and on October 11th, national coming out day, Taylor posted to his Instagram that issue five of the series would reveal the character’s relationship with his lover Jay Nakamura. Taylor isn’t the first to integrate a queer storyline with a very famous superhero. This summer, Mehghan Fitzmartin wrote a storyline for Batman: Urban Legends where Batman’s teenage protégé, Robin, comes out as bisexual. Robin, or better known as his civilian persona Tim Drake, is a character that has existed for decades, and many felt as though making old characters come out as queer is a more relatable approach to making the superhero community more LGBT friendly than creating new characters from scratch.
lor’s series offer a more open-minded approach on life with his adaption of Superman supporting refugee and climate change protests. Moreover, Taylor’s adaption of the superhero Nightwing has superhero Dick Grayson funding social programs with his immense wealth and his series Dark Knights of Steel, a medieval alternate universe about DC Comics favourite heroes introducing a romance between Wonder Woman and Supergirl.
If you hadn’t been able to notice, I’m a huge Tom Taylor fan and love his approach to real life problems into a fictional world. I think that pretending queer people are not superhero fans is outdated and sometimes people forget the immense power that representation has. Despite popular belief, turning superheroes that have been around for decades into queer icons doesn’t Despite the overwhelming support for both of change them all that much, they are still the same these characters, the world is not as accepting characters that we have always loved. This time to queer superheroes as we think. Many people though, they just mean so much more to people took to Twitter to support their dislike of queer who have regularly been discarded from society. superheroes, stating that this is only to support If this is something you’re hearing for the first a "leftist agenda." One of these people was Ari- time, I highly suggest checking out these comics, zona Senator Wendy Rogers. Overall, all of Tay- you won’t regret it.
Neebs Gaming – The Best YouTube Channel in the World! Jacques Wang (Twitter: @LordChickenWang)
boundaries of comedy makes him one of the most unforgettable members of Neebs Gaming.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the talented guys behind some of YouTube’s most favourite animated series like Mob Squad, Doraleous & Associates, and Battlefield Friends? If you have lived under a rock for the last couple of years, these guys are still on YouTube and are growing strong with their channel, Neebs Gaming. With more than 2.25 million subscribers and a total of 1 billion views, Neebs Gaming is a gaming channel composed of five guys testing their friendships across many survival and roleplaying games, like ARK: Survival Evolved, 7 Days to Die, and many others. Based in Wilmington, North Carolina, the crew behind Neebs Gaming focuses on cinematic and roleplay gameplay to connect viewers all around the globe in the name of world peace. However, don’t get too excited about the word “gaming.” While the Neebs Gaming crew can sometimes figure out the rules to a particular game, there are certainly no competitive gamers. What they lack in their gaming skills, they make it up for in their comedic talent, much to our viewing entertainment. Each of the guys’ different personalities and abilities to immerse themselves in the game they are playing really sells Neebs Gaming as one of the most unique channels you’ll find on YouTube.
Doraleous is arguably the chilliest and sweetest member of the group. Known for his smooth voice, ability to keep his cool, and countless pun jokes, Doraleous is a welcoming sight who’s always trying to stay positive no matter the context of the situation. In addition to his work on Neebs Gaming, Doraleous (real-life name Nate Panning) is also a small-time actor who appeared in movies like this year’s Birdies.
Left to right: Jon “Appsro” Etheridge, Bryan “Simon” Mahoney, Brent “Neebs” Triplett, Tony “Thick44” Schnur, Nate “Doraleous” Panning
Triplett) is arguably the most recognizable member of the crew with his distinctive Southern accent, love for nature and profanity-free mouth. Neebs’ good-hearted nature often puts him in disagreement with his peers, creating some of the channel’s most comedic arguments and banter.
Thick44 needs no introduction. The Wyvern King and the Human Man Warrior himself, Thick44 is the fearless member of the group, always willing to take the most reckless methods to get the job done, even if it means costing his teammates to die hilariously. Whenever he is not playing video games, Thick44 is a skilled professional metal guitarist who is behind Battlefield Friends’ iconic opening theme. In addition to his work, Thick (real-life name Tony Schnur) is the bravest member of the group who has been battling brain cancer for the last year and still kicking ass today.
There is that one lovable idiot in every friend circle, and Simon is no exception. Although he Real-life name Jon Etheridge, Appsro is the has come a long way since his debut on the chancrew’s most explosive member with his foul nel, Simon (real-life name Bryan Mahoney) is that mouth and bursts of rage. As a content creator one player who is the complete opposite of being Who are the guys behind Neebs Gaming? who has been on YouTube since 2006, Appsro is a competitive gamer. Despite being less skilled one of the most talented and skilled in the group. at gaming, Simon is still one of the group’s most Neebs Gaming wouldn’t be possible without its Apprso’s personality and willingness to push the hilarious members with his iconic death sound, namesake, Neebs. Neebs (real-life name Brent
8
Wednesday, Wednesday, April April 61st | Winter | Winter 2022 2020 | Issue | Issue 33
tendencies to fall in holes, and love for sandwiches.
I’ve been a fan of their channel since I was in sixth grade, and without their content, I wouldn’t have grown up into the person I am today. These Finally, the fantastic work of Neebs Gaming guys always cheer me up and bring positivity to couldn’t be possible without the talented work the world. I am proud to have grown up watching of their three editors, AnthonyCSN, Adahop, and Neebs Gaming. JackTanner. Together, these three editors bring the cinematic experience with a different shootOne of the best things about Neebs Gaming is ing style that makes you feel like watching a mov- all about the community they gathered. The Neeie. bs Gaming community is by far the best fandom in the world. Toxicity and immaturity are nonexisWhat did Neebs Gaming bring to my life? tent. You will only find love, respect, and joy. I’ve What makes Neebs Gaming the best YouTube never felt more welcome in my life. This commuchannel in the world is its comedic content. nity helped me connect with people worldwide Whenever I feel down or worried about life, and make friends with folks down in North Carothese guys never fail to put a smile on my face. lina, Texas, Florida, Saskatchewan, Ireland, and
even Australia. Looking back, it’s all thanks to five talented guys that I am here today writing this article. What is next for Neebs Gaming Neebs Gaming is not going anywhere soon. In fact, it will continue to expand until they reach achieving world peace. With the controversial release of Battlefield 2042, the Neebs Gaming crew will continue making new Battlefield Friends episodes. I hope you will enjoy Neebs Gaming to see y’all with at future Neebs Gaming events!
WINNERS OF FOOL THE INSIDER MEME CONTEST!!! Meme from kccc
Meme from Angelina
Meme from Sami Wednesday, Wednesday, April April 1st6 || Winter Winter 2020 2022 || Issue Issue 33
9
ARTS
Love Letter to my Enemy Emma I hate you A bit much, isn’t it? I hate you Hate only burdens the hater. And yes, God, how it weighs me down. It’s not fair for you to use me when it’s convenient and ignore me when it’s not. To make me anxious for the entire fucking evening and not have the decency to tell me that you’re busy. I hate how I don’t say anything because you feel like “I freak out” when I do. You don’t have to go out of your way to make me feel safe. But you do make me feel like a piece of shit. I cried myself into a river, and you don’t deserve a single drop of it.
things you didn’t do. Life is sometimes a cruel joke. Deals bad cards. I hate you
I am not a commodity you can talk to when it works in your schedule. Existing only through your perception and dead anytime else.
Behind “I hate you” resonates even louder, “I love you.” I would much rather you hate me for what I did than forget me for who I am. I can only be happy for all that you brought me. For our late-night conversations and the way you smiled, telling me I’m ridiculous.
I hate you
I hate you
I drowned in that river you created, but I would do it all over again so I could breathe for a second. You’re an amazing person. And I sincerely believed every single word I've uttered. Every time I said you were incredible and smart. Every time I hyped you up and told you I was proud of you. I’m glad we got to discuss, found new perspectives, and lived out of my echo chamber. I’m really grateful to you.
You will forever have a place in my heart. I will see you in the movies you love, in your favourite colour, in the dogs that look like yours, and in the brightness of the stars.
I hate you
I hate you
I hate you Hate is easier than love. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is to let them go.
For the way you made me feel and the things you did. But mostly for the
I hate you.
Neverending Longing
Pondering
Why did today have to end Why couldn’t it go on The rhythm of your chest The up and down Our breathing becoming concerto The entangling of our limbs As we slowly fall asleep But stay awake As to feel everything happening To feel everything ending so soon Wondering when we’ll get the chance To find our world in your sheets Play out every love song Make our fingers dance On each other’s bodies Watch the world grow quiet And the snowflakes waltz As you take my hand Walk me to the bus stop Kiss me one last time And watch me leave
I wonder what I look like Through your eyes Am I caught in your stare As often as I’d like Do I remind you Of someone familiar Does my voice Remind you of a song Would you like to listen To my stories Or would you rather I write about you There’s a feeling Hanging over me Like I should Get to know us But I’m afraid if I ask ‘‘What do you think of me?’’ The answer will be ‘‘I don’t.’’
Alexia Côté
10
Wednesday, April 6 1st| Winter | Winter2022 2020| Issue | Issue3 3
Alexia Côté
Maple Taffy Fun at Vanier! Roy Lesage
Brains or Beauty Alexia Côté You don’t get to Feel insulted If I can’t take your compliment You’re beautiful You’re sexy Your body looks great I don’t see it that way When I look into the mirror I don’t see confidence I see a broken down Uncaring for her appearance Just picked whatever clothes girl You see I thought It was a choice
Brains or beauty You either got a man Who loved you for you Or loved you for your body I picked brains I thought I picked right I picked self-neglect See now I know It’s not a choice I pick both But that doesn’t erase Years of self-fulfilling prophecies And the media’s false dichotomies It doesn’t just magically
Give me confidence And unshakeable nerves It just gives me awareness Of how screwed up I was And so many are So don’t just stand there Tell me I’m beautiful And think that’s enough Call out the myth propagators Tell me I’m smart And repeat to me that I’m beautiful I’m just not used to hearing it From you Or from myself
Manan's Photo Album
Manan Suthar (Instagram: @manan_suthaar)
Wednesday, Wednesday,April April1st 6 | Winter 2022 2020 | Issue 3
11
FUN PAGE Aries (Mar.21-Apr.19):
Taurus (Apr.20-May.20):
Gemini (May.21-Jun.20):
Cancer (Jun.21-Jul.22):
Leo (Jul.23-Aug.22):
Virgo (Aug.23-Sep.22):
Pride is not the opposite of shame but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.
While it is always best to believe in oneself, a little help from others can be a great blessing.
Failure is only the opportunity to begin again.
It’s time to look inward and start asking yourself the big questions - who are you, and what do you want?
In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength.
There is nothing wrong with letting the people who love you help you.
Libra (Sep.23-Oct.22):
Scorpio (Oct.23-Nov.21):
Sagittarius (Nov.22-Dec.21):
Capricorn (Dec.22-Jan.19):
Aquarius (Jan.20-Feb.18):
Pisces (Feb.19-Mar.20):
If you look for the light, you can often find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see.
There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about it what it is that you want from your life.
Follow your passion and life will reward you.
You have light and peace inside you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.
It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale.
Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not.
HOMEMADE BROWN SUGAR BUBBLE TEA RECIPE Yields: ~ 2 - 3 servings Cooking + Preparation: 20-30 minutes Ingredients Tapioca Pearls ¾ cups of tapioca flour or tapioca starch (I used the starch) + 1 tablespoon or more for dusting and/or kneading 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or black sugar (taiwanese sugar) 4 tablespoons of hot water + a cup of water for boiling the pearls Brown Sugar Syrup 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar/black sugar 2 tablespoons of hot water Tea 2 bags of a tea of your choice (I used black tea) 1 cup of hot water or more ~ 1 cup of milk of choice (I used oat milk) Directions 1. In a saucepan on medium heat add water and sugar then add the tapioca flour/starch little by little once the sugar dissolves to avoid lumps of tapioca flour. 2. Once the mixture starts to become think, remove it from the heat and wait until it becomes a sticky mixture (you may have to work fast here) 3. Take the tapioca mixture out of the pan and begin to knead it until it is no longer sticky and can be manipulated into a ball. You may need to add more tapioca flour on your surface if your dough is still too sticky. 4. Roll out your dough into straps or string-like pieces into thin straps or about less than half 1 cm (I cut my dough in half to make it easier to roll).
Horoscopes by Vanier's Oracle
DORALEOUS' DAD JOKES
• Did you know that the person who invented the door knocker won the Nobel Prize? • Whoever stole my copy of Microsoft Office is in big trouble. You have my word! • There was a cross-eyed teacher who couldn’t control his pupils. • They should make a Minecraft movie. It would be a blockbuster. • I met a woman with twelve boobs. Sounds weird, dozen tits? • My great-grandfather took down 30 airplanes in WWII all by himself. He was the worst mechanic ever. • What did Yoda say when he saw himself in 4k? HDMI. • I have a friend who's addicted to brake fluid, but it's okay; he said he can stop anytime. • Found out today that I am colorblind. That came right out of the purple. Jokes compiled by Jacques Wang
WORD SEARCH
5. Cut the straps into small pieces and then cut each of those small pieces in half to then roll into small balls (I rolled out around 20). 6. Dust tapioca pearls in tapioca flour/starch to lightly coat each of them 7. Boil around a half or a cup of water (make sure all the pearls will be covered with water). 8. Once your water comes to a boil, carefully drop your pearls in the water. Let boil for around 5-10 minutes or until the pearls come to the top. You want your pearls to be translucent and bouncy (see photo). You should get some syrup on the bottom once most of the water has evaporated. 9. Keep remaining syrup and add a bit more brown sugar if you want the syrup to be sweeter and a bit of water to make the syrup a little less sticky and stretchy. 10. Mix the syrup with the pearls and add it to the bottom of your cup. 11. Add equal parts milk and tea. 12. Enjoy!
Recipe by Talia Atallah
12
Wednesday, April 61st | Winter 2020 | Issue | Winter 2022 | Issue 33
Word search by Roy Lesage
