Monday, November 23, 2020 - Housing Issue

November 23, 2020 • Volume 114, Issue 3

ANASTASIIA FEDOROVA GAZETTE

Why frosh aren’t house hunting this fall Volume 114, Issue 3 WWW.WESTERNGAZETTE.CA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EMILY TAYLER

MANAGING EDITOR: RANIA OSMAN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: LIAM AFONSO

SPORTS: ALEX MCCOMB JORDAN BLOOM

COORDINATING EDITORS: HOPE MAHOOD TANIYA SPOLIA NEWS: ASHLEY GOVEAS KIRAT WALIA ELAN PEDERSEN REBEKAH RODRIGUES CULTURE: TANIYA SPOLIA SARAH WALLACE MUDIA IYAYI SAMANTHA BLOOM

OPINIONS: HOPE MAHOOD COPY: GABBY GLASIER BELLA PICK GRAPHICS: ANASTASIIA FEDOROVA KAUSTAV SHARMA PHOTO: YIFEI ZHANG VIDEO: LIAM AFONSO NYREN MO

GAZETTE ADVERTISING & COMPOSING MANAGER IAN GREAVES

COMPOSING MAJA ANJOLI-BILIĆ

CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE: MADELINE BANDAK CATHERINE DANKO EMMA FAIRGRIEVE ERIN GRACE GRACE GUAN

DESTINY HOPKINS LAUREN MEDEIROS DANIELLE PINEDA REBECCA STREEF CATRINA TANG

MANAGING@WESTERNGAZETTE.CA THE WESTERN GAZETTE

The uncertainty of the pandemic and online classes is pushing students to hold off on the house hunt.

Madeline Bandak, Contributor November usually kicks off the house hunting season for frosh looking to snatch the best off-campus housing options for the following school year.

But without any indication if Western University is looking to continue online learning beyond April, Off-Campus Housing Services recommends students wait to find housing and are seeing a decrease in students looking to sign a lease this early in the game.

“Some people are looking, but we’re not seeing the numbers that we’ve seen in past years. I think people are waiting a little bit to see what the university is going to do,” said Glenn Matthews, housing mediation officer for Off-Campus Housing Services.

Matthews emphasized that waiting is the best strategy for first-years who are hesitant to remain in London should classes continue online. In past years, the fear of losing out on the best houses has encouraged students coming out of residence to be proactive in their search for upper-year living arrangements.

Matthews noted that holding off on making any big decisions should not put students at risk of failing to find suitable housing.

“London has a high enough vacancy rate that people can find places in the summer without a problem. We are getting questions about what the market is going to look like if they wait a couple months and we’re telling people that, if it’s anything like past years, you should be able to find something,” he said.

Fewer students have reached out for rental advice from Off-Campus Housing Services

WESTERNGAZETTE

@UWOGAZETTE

WESTERNGAZETTE

2

YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

than in past years. According to Matthews, the students interested in renting want reassurance that they still have time before they have to make that decision.

Matthews also explained that refraining from signing on to a house before the end of the school year has even been a strategy used by students in the past.

“Some people going into second or third year purposely wait until the end of August because they know that the likelihood of finding an eight-month contract is much higher,” he said, acknowledging that waiting this long does require students to be flexible about factors such as location and size.

“The more people you have in a house, the less availability there is. If you’ve got a five or six-bedroom house, those are — in a normal year — taken up by the end of March.”

First-year students have faced significant amounts of uncertainty throughout their introduction to university life.

Matthews recognized that students are looking for guidance on how the coronavirus pandemic will impact their academic future, but with in-person classes hanging in the balance and daily updates on new vaccines, next year could look completely different.

“It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen in the future but the fact that two different companies have come up with a vaccine might change some of that,” he said.

Matthews encouraged frosh to remain positive about potential in-person classes in coming semesters, but said acting too early in a rush to secure a house poses a risk to those who do not wish to remain in London should classes continue online next fall.

One-bedroom rentals stagnant as pandemic surges on The coronavirus means smaller social circles, but that doesn’t mean fewer roommates for students.

Nyren Mo, Video Producer With the pandemic shutting down clubs, in-person classes and other student destinations, many students are left wondering if a higher price tag would be worth having more personal space.

Adel Wang, a third-year medical sciences student, has lived in a single suite on Richmond Street since April. Despite the higher rent, personal space is his priority.

“Different people have different living habits,” said Wang. “I find that living alone, I can have more privacy.”

Wang doesn’t feel that COVID-19 had much impact on his housing choice, but living alone has come with benefits during the pandemic.

“You can just be isolated and then you will not have a close contact with others, which reduces the risk of [catching] COVID-19,” he said.

There is a waiting list for one-bedroom suites, which start at $1,200 a month where Wang lives. The rent for available two-bedroom suites starts from $1,345, which most roommates split.

The rental office said all one-bedroom suites were rented around September, their busiest time of the year.

Despite social distancing, Western has seen little change in the number of students seeking one-bedroom rentals.

“You might think that higher demands for one-bedroom apartments would make sense largely but we are not seeing that yet,” said Glenn Matthews, housing mediation officer of Western University’s Off-Cam-

pus Housing Service.

“We’re actually not seeing a rush to find housing for next year. We are telling students to hold off until you have a sense of what you’re going to do academically and what the university is going to do.”

Wang also doubts many students would prefer single rooms over roommates, mainly because of higher rents for one-bedroom apartments.

According to last year’s Rental Market Report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the vacancy rate for one-bedroom apartments in London was 1.9 per cent, with an average rent of $915 a month.

The vacancy rates for two-bedroom and three-or-more-bedroom apartments are 1.6 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively.

One-bedroom apartments were not in high demand among Western students in the past. A recent survey from Western’s Off-Campus Housing Service found that the longer students are at school, the fewer roommates they tend to have, meaning graduate and fourth-year students were the most likely to live in one-bedroom rentals.

“One of the reasons students don’t generally choose to live alone besides the social aspect [is that] it costs more money,” Matthews said, saying that roommates don’t just mean savings on rent but also utility bills and even meals.

Western’s University Apartments offer on-campus one-bedroom apartments starting from $1,044 in Bayfield Hall. Chris Alleyne, associate vice-president of Housing and Ancillary Services, told the Gazette in an email that the university has “not seen a large

difference in interest between one and two-bedroom units compared to previous years.”

Matthews thinks the lack of change is because most students found their housing before the pandemic hit and getting out of

a lease under the Residential Tenancy Act is not easy.

“If people would wait a little bit, they’d have a better sense of whether they need to be in London, whether or not they want to be in London.”

YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

Results of Off-Campus Housing’ survey on the number of roommates that students have during their years at school.

3

London’s cost of living lower than most university towns And significantly lower than big cities.

Catherine Danko, Culture Intern Student living doesn’t always mean cheap living.

While moving out of your parents’ house means unlimited freedom, it also means paying for your own rent, food, transportation and any unforeseen costs, all on a student budget.

Factor in day-to-day spending, that weekend bender and extra Spoke bagel you just had — it all adds up.

But, how much you spend on a monthly basis depends on your lifestyle and the city you live in. Here is the cost of rent in seven Ontario university cities, assuming you have roommates, to give you someperspective of just how much you’re saving, or spending, by staying in London.

Toronto: $1,011 per month Toronto is a vibrant city with endless opportunities for dining, shopping and nights out on the town but tops the list as the most expensive place to live for students. As the home of Ryerson University, the University of Toronto, York University and a slew of colleges, many students find themselves commuting to classes. Averaging $1,011 a month for a room in a three-bedroom apartment, living in downtown Toronto is sure to make a dent in your bank account. But with the coronavirus pandemic, some landlords are offering incentives for renters — including free rent, internet and move-in bonuses.

4

Kingston: $712 per month Queen’s University students typically pay higher rent than others, partially due to many rentals’ proximity to the university. Students in Kingston pay around $712 a month for shared living, with rent prices continuing to rise even with the city’s increasing vacancy rates.

Despite this, Kingston is a beautiful place to live with lots to do — take a ferry ride across the St. Lawrence River, visit the city hall, or if you’re up for it, take a tour around the Kingston Penitentiary.

Ottawa: $688 per month Living in the nation’s capital is significantly cheaper for students than living in the 6ix, averaging about $688 for a room in a four-bedroom house. With two university campuses and two colleges, Ottawa is home to many post-secondary students, offering the advantages of a big city without the hefty price tag.

The city also has tons of historical museums, art galleries, green space and much less hair-pulling traffic congestion than Toronto, making it an attractive alternative for city living.

Waterloo: $601 per month One of three cities located in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, the city costs about $601 a month for rent, including utilities, making it a close competitor to other smaller student towns such as London or Hamilton. This affordable price can still provide all the amenities of student life: a short commute to campus, restaurants, malls

TANIYA SPOLIA GAZETTE

and nightlife. With two major unviersities, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, the city is home to plenty of students.

Hamilton: $575 per month Also known as “the Hammer,” Hamilton is known for its abundant waterfalls and famous mountain but also for its industrial atmosphere and downtown core. McMaster University students can find housing here at an affordable price — renting a room in a four-bedroom student house costs about $575. Most student housing is closer to the university than downtown, but the city’s frequent transit provides students with the mobility to explore.

London: $550 per month Home to the Western University Mustangs, London gives students a smaller city experience without insanely high rent prices. A four-bedroom student house costs about $550 per person each month, making it a much more affordable city than Toronto or

Ottawa and slightly cheaper than Waterloo and Hamilton.

The benefits of living in London are endless — a large mall, a downtown strip loaded with bars and restaurants, a mini airport and tons of events to attend at the Budweiser Gardens. A room in a four-bedroom house in London costs about $461 less than a room in a three-bedroom apartment downtown Toronto.

St. Catharines: $500 per month You can rent a room in St. Catharines for just $500 a month, making Brock University home to one of the most affordable student towns in the province. Brock students also have lots to do nearby, from a night at Niagara Falls to wine tours just outside of the city.

It’s worth noting that these costs are estimated for shared housing among at least three students, one or two-bedroom apartments come with a higher price tag.

How the pandemic changed London’s rental market Economists say it’s a renter’s market, but what does that mean for students?

Danielle Pineda, News Intern Economists and broke young people alike thought the pandemic would burst Ontario’s property bubble, as skyrocketing prices have left many city-bound students wary of ever owning a house.

But, months of quarantining at home inflated the bubble as city-dwellers fled their small apartments in favour of fresh air and a backyard, driving up housing prices across southern Ontario.

London’s real estate market saw a mild increase in the fall.

Rising figures caught the market’s attention, with the possibility of a future real estate bubble in the city — indicating a future of increasingly limited and more expensive rental options.

Unlike major cities like Toronto and Vancouver currently facing rising vacancy rates — empty apartments and houses — London’s vacancy rate dropped to 1.8 per cent in 2019 from 2.1 per cent the year before.

The price of renting a one-bedroom apartment in the forest city increased 6.4 per cent over the past year and renting a two-bedroom became 20.8 per cent more expensive.

Toronto and Vancouver have seen a modest decrease in rent prices since last October.

Students usually live with upwards of three roommates — and rent prices differ drastically between the north and south end of campus.

Old North is home to many students, best known for its infamous Broughdale Avenue street

parties. The rent in Old North down to Richmond Street and Oxford Street has remained virtually unchanged since last year.

The 0.1 per cent decrease leaves the average rental at $1,389 for the entire house.

On the other end of campus, defined by the “N6G” postal code, rent has grown 24.4 per cent since last year, bringing the average to $1,755. This area includes Western Road and Sarnia Road, with the boundary past Wonderland Road.

But, while some of these trends put future London renters at a disadvantage, many students currently have the benefit of the provincial rent freeze for 2021.

Rent for current tenants can only be raised by 2.2 per cent, as long as there has been a lease signed for at least 12 months.

Britta Stern, owner of Exclusive Rentals Ltd., said these government regulations have helped keep rent steady, even as house hunting has changed in the pandemic.

Many students chose to stay home even after finding a rental, resulting in more tenants looking to break their lease. But, Stern said every situation varies.

“It’s nice that most clients are willing to work with us because everybody has been facing a tough situation,” Stern said. “We want to try to be the voice for both sides [of the landlords and tenants].”

Stern explained the current climate calls for landlords to be more lenient with renters. She also acknowledged that students are working together with their

COURTESY OF Rentals.ca

A map of London broken down by postal codes to show percent increases in rent from January 2020 to August 2020.

KAUSTAV SHARMA GAZETTE

landlords to achieve the best situation for both parties.

Some landlords were encouraged to offer rent discounts. But, Stern explained owners are cautious of setting precedents that tenants might abuse.

“Some tenants may take advantage,” Stern said. “Once you do it for one person in a house of five, the other tenants may demand the same special treatment.”

Stern said most students are being honest with their situations and the rental company may ask for documentation to prove their need for financial assistance, though all of these decisions vary based on the landlord. “[Exclusive Rentals has] been very transparent with the situation,” Stern said. “I think the most important thing is to work with everybody’s situation.”

5

Students still fighting window The Marq is mostly home to students, many of who lived without a bedroom window

COURTESY OF Jeremy Roberts and Centurion Properties Management, via Freedom of Information Act

Centurion Properties’ plan shows a proposal to replace the existing door with a new frosted glass door and add a clerestory window above eye level. The city rejected the plans.

6

Ashley Goveas, News Editor The Marq, a downtown apartment building popular with Western University students, came under investigation last year after owners illegally rented bedrooms without windows.

Their windowless rooms violated both provincial and municipal building codes that require a certain percentage of natural light in each bedroom of a housing unit.

Students renting at the Marq issued a slew of complaints to the city last fall, spurring an investigation.

According to the Marq’s floorplans, several units in the building had bedrooms that can only legally be used as a den or storage space as they were surrounded by four interior walls. The Marq contained 136 bedrooms with this design.

Centurion Properties Management, which owns the Marq on 75 Ann Street, received an order from the city in September 2019, stating the rooms were unfit for human habitation and demanding the building be brought up to code in three weeks — a deadline the company appealed as they felt the time frame was insufficient to remedy over 100 rooms. Centurion was granted 10 months to bring the 12-story building up to code, expecting repairs would be completed

by August 2020.

Jeremy Roberts, a former resident of the Marq, assembled the 75 Ann Street Residents’ Association to organize tenants to take action against their illegal living conditions. The association encouraged students to request a rebate or terminate their tenancy from Ontario’s Landlord and Tenant Board. The association is currently pursuing legal action to compensate current and former tenants.

No windows for Ann Street Centurion submitted a “schedule of repair” to London for approval in February, following the city’s direction. The plan detailed intentions to allow light into the all-wall rooms by adding frosted glass doors and clear-glass pane above eye level. The plans were not approved by the city and Centurion is currently working on revisions.

wless bedrooms one year later Roberts filed a Freedom of Information Request — a formal process where anyone can request copies of relevant public records — that shows the proposals to replace the existing door with a new frosted glass door, using the existing hardware and door frame.

The plans also show intentions to add a “clerestory window” — a window above eye level — over top the door frame to allow additional light in from an adjacent window on an exterior wall.

“They chopped three-by-four foot holes in the walls of the bedroom,” said Roberts.

“The window didn’t look outside, the window actually looked into the living room.”

Centurion’s submitted plans outlined that most of these rooms are designed for and predominantly used by students and acknowledged the privacy concerns of relying on other tenants in a unit for the availability of natural light.

If one tenant decided to shut the blinds or drapes that limit natural light, the light also becomes restricted to the tenant in the room enclosed in interior walls.

“As these are interior windows in a student accommodation, care must be taken to judiciously balance the requirement for natural light with privacy considerations — both acoustical and visual,” noted the plans drawn

by Lance Kaprielian, an architect hired by Centurion.

For privacy, Kaprielian proposed to include a translucent film to the door and window that the tenant’s roommates can’t see through while still allowing the passage of light.

But, on behalf of the residents’ association, Roberts did not agree the plans sufficiently met the needs of the building’s tenants and wrote a letter urging the company against them.

“It’s a really, really roundabout way of trying to put people in windowless rooms,” he said.

The FOI also included emails from residents — some who identified themselves as students — outlining concerns and complaints about the unfit living situation in the Marq’s windowless rooms.

MINGWEI HUANG GAZETTE

The Marq at 75 Ann Street, Oct. 10, 2019.

What happens now?

To Roberts’ knowledge, the illegal bedrooms that garnered media attention and came under public scrutiny are currently vacant.

“They chopped three-byfour foot holes in the walls of the bedroom, the window didn’t look outside, the window actually looked into the living room.”

Jeremy Roberts

a former resident of the Marq

“My understanding is that [COVID-19] came at a really good and a really bad time for [Centurion],” said Roberts.

The pandemic relieved pressure from London’s housing market, said Roberts, but that means lowered capacity and income for landlords. Roberts thinks the Marq is likely

at a far lower capacity than normal, allowing tenants to be accommodated in bedrooms with windows.

The 75 Ann Street Residents’ Association filed two applications this month with the Landlord and Tenant Board: a T2 application for interference with tenants’ reasonable enjoyment of their rental and a T3 application for the property’s failure to maintain the rental to municipal standards.

According to Roberts, the association is working to request a rebate — about 35 per cent — for tenants who lived in the bedrooms previously. They are asking for around $200 of the total $600 monthly rent to be returned.

“I think I’ll probably dissolve the association once this is all said and done,” he said.

“This is more of a special-purpose body that’s designed to facilitate access to justice for those who are negatively impacted by the windowless situation.“ Centurion did not reply to the Gazette’s request for comment.

Roberts expects to receive a notice of hearing in the near future to move forward with the next steps to compensate the Marq’s residents.

7

So you want to end your lease?

Mudia Iyayi, Culture Editor It’s mid-November and you’ve been in your hometown since the beginning of the semester. You are studying for your midterms and finishing last-minute assignments and suddenly a saddening reminder appears in your mind, or more aptly your bank account — you’re still paying rent for a house in London that you haven’t stepped foot in since March.

This is a common reality for many students. In May, Western University announced their plan for the fall semester that would see a mix of both in-person and fully online courses due to the coronavirus.

This plan left some students with fully online courses paying rent on leases that they signed prior to the onset of the pandemic.

Glenn Matthews, the housing mediation officer at Western’s Off-Campus Housing Services, says there’s three routes that students can take to prematurely end their leases. He notes these options only apply if the rental situation is covered under the Rental Tenancy Act of Ontario.

Negotiate with your landlord The first option is the easiest — simply ask your landlord to end your tenancy. This can be done by using an N11 Form, which will set the guidelines for ending the lease and conditions relating to the move-out date.

The only possible issue with this route is that your landlord has to agree to sign it and should they refuse, you may have to resort to option two or three.

Transfer your lease to someone else The second option is to find an “assignment.”

“It’s like subletting, but when you sublet you are still liable,” explains Matthews. “But when you assign, your name comes off the lease and a new person goes on the lease.”

Lease assignments also come with caveats, each unique to your rental situation. The landlord reserves the right to refuse your choice for an assignment.

If you live alone and your landlord refuses your assignment, you are able to give a 30-day notice and vacate your unit using an N9 Form, which allows you to terminate your lease.

Joint leases are a completely different story.

8

“If they are all on a joint lease together, they have to act as one party. So, if one person wants to make a request to assign and the landlord says no, they’d all have to leave,” says Matthews. “In that case, it might be easier to sublet because then they could at least leave and have somebody fill their space.”

File with the Landlord and Tenant Board Students using this option would have to file with the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board to have their lease prematurely terminated. The government agency will review the filing and determine whether there are any grounds for lease termination.

Matthews notes that reasons such as not liking the landlord or simply not wanting to pay rent anymore will not be substantial enough.

“They have to have a reason for that. Such that, it is an illegal rental, there’s something majorly wrong with the premise, the landlord is harassing,” he says. “Here’s an example: ‘my bedroom doesn’t have a window.’

Like that is totally illegal.”

Citing COVID-19 as grounds for ending

ANASTASIIA FEDOROVA GAZETTE

your lease is not well documented and it is not clearly written in the RTA. These rulings depend on the specific case.

Simply leave The fourth option, which Matthews does not recommend, but extenuating circumstances or financial hardship may call for it, is just moving out.

“The landlord would be required to mitigate their damages by trying to find somebody to replace the person who left. But if they don’t find anybody, the person who left is still on the hook,” he says.

Since you are still bound by the lease, your landlord could potentially take legal action against you and your housemates for unpaid rent, if they were unable to find a replacement.

This option is not a guarantee fix for your situation, but if you cannot afford rent or circumstances prevent you from continuing the lease, it does serve as a viable, yet risky, option.

More information about your rights as a renter can be found on the provincial government’s Renting In Ontario website.

What to know before you sublet Sarah Wallace, Culture Editor

What are your rights and responsibilities as a subletter?

ERIN GRACE GAZETTE

The world of subletting can be complicated.

Glenn Matthews, housing mediation officer from Off-Campus Housing Services, sat down with the Gazette to explain the most important things to be aware of when subletting.

Q: Can a landlord refuse a sublet?

A: The landlord is allowed to put a clause in the lease saying “we reserve the right to approve a subletter.” They cannot deny a sublet unless they can show something that is reasonable to deny.

Q: What are the rights of subletters?

A: It depends. If you share a bathroom with the owner or the owner’s immediate family, you have no rights for subletting.

As far as subletters and their rights, it becomes a contract between the main tenant and the subletters. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, there’s basically no recognition of rights to the subletter.

It falls back on contract law between the subletter and the main tenant. So, it depends on what is written into the agreement and if it comes up under contract law or not.

Q: Can a tenant remove a subletter?

A: Yes, because they’re under contract law. Both the subletter and the main tenant could end the sublet early and either party can sue the other in small claims court if the person did it without a reason. Having said that, there’s no guideline in contract law of what reasons are acceptable and not acceptable. Ultimately, the tenant would be liable for any damages or outstanding charges.

Q: What’s the difference between an assignment and a sublet?

A: Basically, a sublet is ... leaving your place for a certain period and not coming back while another person uses the space. An assignment is when a new person’s name goes on the lease, and your name goes off.

Q: What precautions should you take before letting a subletter in?

A: We recommend documentation.

Take pictures the day before the subletter moves in, take pictures the day after they leave. Make sure in the written agreement you have a way to track the person down so that they can establish where they might have to go to get damages taken care of.

Q: If the contract is not written down and someone wants to break the contract, how would that work?

A: If it’s a verbal agreement, it’s useless.

You can just say “get out” or the person could just walk and there wouldn’t really be a way to recover damages. Even if it’s written down, it’s difficult because it’s contract law and it’s much easier to break a contract under contract law than it is to break a lease under the RTA. Written sample agreements are recommended and can be found on the off-campus website.

Q: What are other tips you should know?

A: Make sure you have an address for [the subletter] so you know where they’re at when you need to find them. And make it clear about stuff, [such as] utilities — are they included or not, because sometimes people will run the utility bill up quite high and you want to make sure that gets paid. Let them know about parking, other roommates and how your household is run. Think about what you would want to know before moving into a place of strangers and communicate that for smooth subletting.

9

Break down of break-ins near Western Police warn student areas targeted Elan Pedersen, News Editor

KAUSTAV SHARMA GAZETTE

Any red area is a “hotspot,” with green areas medium density and blue considered low density for break-ins. Courtesy of Lexis Nexis Community Crime Map 10

L

ondon police are reporting an increase in break-ins at homes “known to be off-campus student housing” in the north end of the city.

From Sept. 1 to Oct. 18, at least 13 student houses were broken into, with technology and cash stolen among other valuables. This was a mild increase in break-ins, though different neighbourhoods are targeted each year.

Analytical software employed by the London Police Service Crime Analysis Unit shows a mild increase in student-area breakins during the same time period — from Sept. 1 to Oct. 18 — over the past five years.

Counting student residential areas in the vicinity of Western University and Fanshawe College, the Gazette used Wonderland Road, Windermere Road, Oxford Street and Adelaide Street as the boundaries around Western and Clarke Road, Huron Street, Adelaide Street and Dundas Street as the boundaries around Fanshawe.

Although these neighbourhoods are home to more than just students, the proximity of these residences to post-secondary schools makes them attractive for students.

The break-ins counted all took place within the established boundaries, but it cannot be guaranteed these were all student residences.

The number of total break-ins near to each post-secondary institution has fluctuated since 2015. In the area around Western, the number of residential break-ins increased from 2015 with 11 break-ins, to 2016 with 18 break-ins and 23 break-ins in 2017. This number dropped in 2018, with only 12 break-ins, but doubled to 24 in 2019 before dropping to 17 this year.

The years 2018 to 2020 show an increase of break-ins around Broughdale. The Broughdale neighbourhood, which only had three break-ins in 2018 and four in 2019 in the small time frame, became the site of five break-ins in 2020.

Home to Fake Homecoming, the Broughdale neighbourhood is known for its plethora of student housing. But from 2015 to 2017, Broughdale was the site of only a handful of break-ins.

South-side neighbourhoods around or south of Western Road and south of the Oxford Street and Richmond Street intersection have been flagged as consistently intense hotspots from 2015 to 2019. In this area, the number of break-ins averages 11 during the same time period.

But, the total number of break-ins in the Fanshawe area followed a decreasing trend with a minor bump in 2018 to 14 break-ins

YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

The first snow of the season, Nov. 18, 2020.

compared to the 13 break-ins in 2017.

The LPS crime density map also shows consistent locations for break-ins around Fanshawe, mostly in the area between Sandford Street, Huron Street, Oxford Street East and Clarke Road, with the exception of 2018 and 2019.

“In most instances, entry was gained through unlocked [or unsecured] windows, opportunistic thieves will watch residences for people leaving, and then break into the home through the easiest point of entry.”

The London police’s press release about the 13 student break-ins Two years ago saw no hotspot within the area around Fanshawe and in 2019, the area between the Dundas Street and Saskatoon Street intersection along with the Dundas Street and Clarke Road intersection were targeted instead.

In 2020, three of the eight break-ins close to Fanshawe took place on Thurman Circle and Fleming Drive, the same streets targeted for break-ins in 2016. These break-ins took place over a different time period, outside of

the Sept. 1 to Oct. 18 range.

More recently, there were two additional break-ins in the area surrounding Western since LPS first announced the increase, one in the Broughdale neighbourhood and four around Fanshawe.

Despite fluctuating numbers and no clear pattern for general break-ins in Western student neighbourhoods since 2015, the LPS issued a warning this year that student houses are being targeted.

The LPS couldn’t speculate why student homes are being targeted, but cash and electronics were some of the common items taken.

The community crime map software shows Saturday was the most common day for break-ins over this time period in 2020.

Saturday night is a common time for students to go out, and according to ADT Inc., people looking to break and enter are more likely to choose a time when they believe the house is empty.

“In most instances, entry was gained through unlocked [or unsecured] windows,” the LPS’ press release about the 13 student break-ins reads. “Opportunistic thieves will watch residences for people leaving, and then break into the home through the easiest point of entry.”

It is possible more than 13 student homes were targeted, according to LPS, as it is likely that not all of the break-and-enters are actually reported.

“If you see suspicious people, please call [the] police immediately,” the press release reads.

11

Grab the Lysol wipes — it’s time to clean that kitchen Sarah Wallace, Culture Editor Wiping down door knobs, figuring out how long diseases last on soft surfaces and how often you should clean the counters may not have been a top priority before this summer.

News about the coronavirus changes daily. With hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes flying off the shelves, it’s hard to know what products actually help to protect you and keep your casa virus-free.

Fret not: the Gazette is here with your how-to guide on keeping your place clean, with tips you can carry for years to come.

How often should I clean electronics and high-traffic surfaces?

Surfaces that are frequently used — countertops, door knobs and electronics — should be disinfected often. While it is unknown how long COVID-19 can stay on surfaces, research suggests it can be anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

To combat this, use damp products that clean and disinfect in one, like

12

ANASTASIIA FEDOROVA GAZETTE

Lysol wipes and mops. Unlike dry products, damp cleaning products are less likely to distribute virus droplets.

If your electronics are able to withstand liquids without needing to go into a bag of rice for three days, use alcohol prep wipes to clean surfaces.

How about cleaning soft surfaces?

Soft surfaces like couches, curtains and carpets can have COVID-19 residue on them for several hours or potentially several days, research finds.

Upholstery often has a manufacturer’s tag with cleaning instructions.

If your item is able to withstand water, mix together two cups of water, one tablespoon of dishwasher liquid and one tablespoon of vinegar. Lightly blot the surface with the mixture. Afterwards, go back and blot the surface with just water.

Leave the item to dry and your soft surface should be clean.

Make sure to wear rubber gloves while cleaning to reduce the chances of touching potentially contaminated surfaces and protect your skin from harsh chemicals. After remov-

al, wash your hands with soapy water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.

How should I clean when someone in my household has COVID-19?

If someone in your household is infected with COVID-19, the safest thing is to close off the room they’re occupying for seven days and dedicate a bathroom for them. It’s safest for your household and the infected person to be as far apart as possible.

If this is not viable, make sure you stand at least six feet apart at all times and clean with gloves and a mask on.

Aim to clean and disinfect frequently-used surfaces like sink handles and the toilet often, using soap and water before disinfectant. Do not reuse your mask and gloves and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth until you wash your hands.

While your home will never be 100 per cent sterile, following these tips will maximize your safety. You may never be Mr. Clean but having a friend like him goes a long way.

How to decorate on a budget without using fairy lights Catrina Tang, Culture Intern Students are spending more time in their rooms than ever before this year.

Factor in the onset of the classic Canadian winter, and students may never leave the house again. Whether it’s a dorm room you share with a roommate or a bedroom off-campus, if you’re going to be stuck within four walls, you deserve to have a space you feel comfortable in.

You don’t have to break the bank to decorate your room but it will take some creative investment. Here are six decor tips for a student budget.

Reuse kitchenware as planters While houseplants have become an increasingly popular decoration, both real and fake, purchasing a planter can be significantly more expensive than the plant itself.

Household items and old kitchenware such as mugs, bowls and teapots can be used as alternatives to traditional planters — a cozy and affordable home for your plant.

Make a shopping bag collage If you’re tired of staring at empty walls, but don’t want to spend the time or money buying posters or printing physical photos, try cutting up old shopping bags to fill the space.

Simply take an old shopping bag from your favourite store or brand, cut out the logo or design, and stick them up as a collage on your wall. Try playing around with colour schemes or layering for some added self-expression.

Add washi tape for a pop of colour Washi tape is an inexpensive scotch tape with a variety of colours, patterns and designs. Adding it to the borders of your furniture makes for a great accent. Whether it’s dressers, bookshelves or night stands — washi tape can be a fun pop of colour that is easy to add and remove.

If you want to take this trick a step further, replace washi tape with wallpaper. While wallpapering all four walls of your room is quite pricey, purchasing a small quantity of wallpaper to cover a drawer or the side of a shelf is affordable and less time consuming.

Make sure to use peel-off wallpaper to keep your security deposit in the spring.

Reuse glass bottles as vases Any old bottle you have can be repurposed as a vase. Disinfect your glass bottle first by soaking it in soapy water for a day or two.

After soaking, the label should peel off easily, then your glass bottle is ready to be used as a vase.

While fresh flowers are expensive and hard to come by, filling your vase with DIY paper flowers, dried flowers or fake flowers from the dollar store look good in a nice, minimalist glass bottle vase.

Hang up statement tees A great alternative to hanging photos or other prints like posters on your empty walls is hanging up statement tees instead. Simply choose any bold t-shirt or jersey you already own and post it on your wall to add a personal touch to your room decor.

If you’re feeling extra creative, you can try hanging up different pieces like hats or bags to add texture to your wall art.

Reuse jars as pencil holders Take any empty jar and disinfect it by filling it up with warm, soapy water and then leave it to soak. After drying, you can use it to hold pencils or other school supplies. Leave the sticker on for a vintage look or take it off for a cleaner aesthetic.

CATRINA TANG GAZETTE

COURTESY OF Sophie Wu

CATRINA TANG GAZETTE

COURTESY OF Megha Thakur

13

Roommate horror stories to tell in the dark YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

Emma Fairgrieve, Culture Intern Sometimes, roommates simply don’t get along. But other times, things take a turn for the worse.

Maybe they never wash the dishes, always have their significant other over or “borrow” your things without permission.

But these issues seems mundane to third-year engineering student Ameer Ali. Ali moved to a three-bedroom unit in his second year, splitting the cost with a single roommate to have more living space. Not long after moving in, Ali’s roommate mentioned that his mom would be visiting.

“At first, I didn’t think much of it, I assumed it was a temporary thing,” Ali says.

Then a week passed and his roommate’s mother was still there.

Soon after, Ali decided to stay in Toronto for a month to see friends and family. Upon returning, the roommate’s mother had fully moved into the spare room. Not only was it uncomfortable, Ali says, but also expensive.

“This meant that I was technically paying for my roommate’s mom to live there.”

She spent her days watching TV in the living room and cooking late 14

into the night, sometimes clamouring around until 4 a.m. Somehow maintaining his sanity, Ali finally gave up when the mother began to invite friends and patients over as she had apparently opened a dental clinic in the spare room.

It was unclear if the mother was a dentist or studying to be one, but Ali could hear drills and other dentist tools.

“She seemed nice enough at first but within the first week, I saw something that I could never unsee.”

Jyoti Dhillon

a third-year health science student

“This pushed me to talk to my roommate and say ‘hey look, what you’re doing is wrong,’” says Ali. The roommate did not react well to Ali’s concerns and told him that his mother would only be staying for another six months.

Following this revelation, Ali explained the situation to their landlord.

He was able to break his lease and move out, leaving the roommate and

his mother to take over the lease.

Jyoti Dhillon, a third-year health science student, on the other hand, was randomly assigned a roommate in her first year.

“She seemed nice enough at first but within the first week, I saw something that I could never unsee,” she says.

Only a week into their co-habitation, Dhillon found her roommate sleeping with around six used menstrual pads on her pillow.

“At first, I thought I was surely mistaken but when I got a closer look, I realized I was not hallucinating and those were rolled up pads.”

But that wasn’t her last pad encounter.

Fast forward to her final exam weeks, Dhillon recalled yet another experience.

“I vividly remember waking up to a phone call from my suitemate and hearing ‘come to the bathroom we have a problem.’”

In the bathroom, they found a used, soaking pad mounted to the showerhead.

The frightful scene left Dhillon and her suitemate speechless and disturbed.

Although the roommate never admitted to the incident, Dhillon is fairly certain she was the culprit.

“We moved out two weeks from the day of the incident and [I] have never spoken to her again.”

Check in with your roommates’ mental health Lauren Medeiros, Culture Intern

Regular mental health check-ins with roommates should be a part of any household and it doesn’t need to be more complicated than asking someone “how are you?”

“I actually just had a chat with my housemates kind of to check in with how everything is going,” says second-year information and media studies student Cassie Kaczmarski. “It came up casually and we kind of just gave each other advice. It helps that we’re all from different cities and friend groups because we don’t have the same biases that maybe closer friends might have.”

Countless studies show anxiety and loneliness among students is skyrocketing as the country remains in quarantine. No matter how close roommates are, students living together can participate in regular open discussions and create a support system — especially as the pandemic limits social circles and family visits.

“We also came up with the idea of doing a little honesty hour every week to check in and ask for advice about anything from tiny things like assignments to deeper chats,” Kaczmarski explains.

It is effective for some people to carve out time for these conversations, but others prefer check-ins to arise more naturally.

“Showing people your vulnerability is hard because it makes you feel exposed and insecure,” says Olivia Chen, a second-year chemistry student. “Some [people] may hold it in because they are afraid that it might change the way others look at them.”

Chen tried to make a habit of talking with her roommates about mental healthback in her first year.

“Usually if I notice someone’s unusual behaviours, I try to open the conversation by asking how their day has been going,” she says. “I would start by telling them about some of my vulnerabilities, how I feel about them and how I take care of my own mental health.”

Starting the conversation is the hardest part when it comes to talking about mental health — it’s difficult to break that social taboo.

An effective way to kick off a conversation that could lead to something deeper is asking “how are you doing with everything right now?” Taking that initial action to check in on a roommate can be daunting but it becomes more natural once open communication is established.

Ultimately, roommates can only understand what you’re going though if you tell them.

Students face a plethora of stressors in their daily lives and each person handles them differently. By taking the opportunity to have candid conversations with roommates or friends, you create a safe space.

Allowing for vulnerability and discomfort is a sign of strength. Whether this is your first time living with roommates or your last, practising openness is a continuous journey that works best as a group activity.

ERIN GRACE GAZETTE

15

Working out working from home Does a work-life balance really exist?

Grace Guan, Culture Intern Most students have a particular study routine to achieve their greatest productivity.

Whether they’re doing readings or learning three units the day before a test, each student knows the perfect conditions to focus their mind.

Working from home during a pandemic is rarely one of those conditions.

For Jacob Lee, a first-year Ivey Business School student, working at home has been tough.

“It is really difficult to focus and concentrate when A, you are in your room all day, B, your bed is so close by and C, your work ethic isn’t the greatest,” he said.

And he isn’t alone.

“At first I hated it. It was definitely an adjustment. I had done online classes before but having all my classes online was new to me,” said Farida Sakr, a third-year statistics student.

Students are used to a routine of in-person classes, group study sessions and Spoke coffee breaks and are having a hard time adjusting. But many have learned to trick themselves into being productive at home, even when surrounded by other distractions.

Mariam Niazi, a third-year sociology student, still has trouble focusing but certain things like caffeine, strict scheduling and todo lists help focus on priorities.

“Something I have also been doing to keep [focused] when I’m working is that if I’m doing a reading, for example, I recite the information out loud as opposed to reading it in my head [which causes me to] lose focus,” Niazi said.

In another home study space Lee turns to Ivan Pavlov for a solution. “[I] turn on my lamp every time I begin studying, study and then reward myself — usually [with] some food or coffee. This creates a habit where my brain automatically begins to focus when the lamp goes on,” said Lee. Joel Zhang, a 22-year-old master’s student in One Health, takes an approach most students can relate to.

16

YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

“[I] set my own deadlines and make myself seem substantially more busy than I actually am. Fake it ‘til you make it,” he said.

“It is really difficult to focus and concentrate when A, you are in your room all day, B, your bed is so close by and C, your work ethic isn’t the greatest.”

Jacob Lee

First-year Ivey Business School student

Online learning is difficult as-is, add in isolation and that difficulty only increases, as it eliminates the physical boundary that previously separated work and life. With students’ minds switching from work and rest in the same space, trying to balance the two and can become a problem.

“It is really tough to switch my head off [from] being comfortable and sleepy in my room. I always studied on campus and only went to my room to sleep during my first two years, so I found studying in my room extremely difficult,” said Lee. “It is really

tough for me to go from ‘studying’ to ‘resting’ in the same physical space.”

Lee, Zhang and Sakr all preferred to study on-campus or in coffee shops prior to the pandemic, so the transition to home offices and bedrooms has been difficult.

They’re finding their productivity is not up to the same level it was.

“I learned to differentiate my study space from my leisure space,” said Sakr. “I do not do work in bed and I do not spend leisure time at my desk. I find that doing that encourages a work environment at my desk and in turn, I am less likely to get distracted and alternatively my leisure space is where I can relax so home doesn’t become a place I associate with anxiety.”

But, sometimes the best way to deal with the difficulties that come with having a workspace at home could be getting away from them altogether.

“I make sure I hit the gym in the morning or afternoon and try to take time with things I enjoy,” said Zhang. “Even if it means going downstairs to grab food with my roommate.

When I’m not working I try to spend as much time outside my room and away from work.”

Students are learning to cope by creating their own boundaries and removing themselves from their workspaces, even as work-life separation is becoming harder in this new normal.

Making your workspace work for you Samantha Bloom, Staff Writer Work-life boundaries have been crossed.

It’s time to stage a battle — one to win our rooms back.

School used to be primarily in classrooms. We’d walk from building to building, get a breath of fresh air, step in some goose poo and then, after a long day, return home to relax. Now students’ study locations are limited. With the weather turning for the worse, even the outside cafe tables won’t be viable for studying anymore.

Bedrooms are now multi-purpose rooms, like how your high school gym was also a winter wonderland for the school dance and the bathroom was equally functional for a place to cry. Bedrooms were used to study pre-pandemic — just not to the same extent.

With so much time spent in your bedroom, it’s time to make the most out of your workspace.

RANIA OSMAN GAZETTE

Create boundaries Beds should be for sleeping and other nighttime activities — but not work. To enhance the idea of “boundaries,” make a literal border. This can be done by buying a fun carpet that only covers your workspace, thereby enclosing your work to an island of productivity. Creating boundaries can help organize your space and return some normalcy to day-to-day activities.

Declutter Clutter can affect a lot more than just the amount of space you work on — it can also influence stress levels and ability to focus.

Having too many things to focus on can be over-stimulating, impeding focus. So, get rid of those receipts from three months ago — or at least store them in a filing cabinet. Decluttering may seem daunting but even five minutes a day can make a dent in the pile.

Embellish it Now that your space is prepped for productivity, make it a happy place. Not the happy place you go to when your roommate left dishes in the sink and you’re trying not to

kill them, just a place where work doesn’t seem as bad. To do this, bring in some life through plants, light and art.

Indoor plants boast a long list of health benefits, including anxiety reduction, mood boosting and increasing focus. Placing a plant on your desk is a great way to introduce nature to your space and give you an extra oxygen boost needed when the inevitable brain fog sets in.

Placing mirrors on a wall can also help increase natural light, which is especially helpful in the winter months when shorter days and seasonal affective disorder come around. Cute light fixtures can add extra brightness while remaining practical for the night owl. Your final brightening step is bringing in some art with mood-boosting colours, such as yellow.

Obviously, a desk and ergonomic chair are important too — but that’s common knowledge.

Take your workspace from meh to amazing, because you deserve it. With holidays just around the corner, take the opportunity to add some home office decor to your wish list.

17

A mini cookbook for university students Bella Pick, Copy Editor

The Gazette’s resident foodie spices up some classic student meals.

W

hen it comes to university living, there are a few bland foods that seem to define student existence. Instant ramen noodles, grilled cheese, canned soup and plain pasta all come to mind when thinking about student life, but these foods don’t have to be boring to stay cheap.

Adding a few simple ingredients will enhance your flavour experience, even with the most simple foods.

We’ll start with an updated version of ramen that takes almost no extra time to make and can help clear out your fridge. Then, try out a grilled cheese reminiscent of childhood, elevated with a few simple adjustments. Finally, we’ll combine canned soup and pasta for a creamy and filling dinner.

RANIA OSMAN GAZETTE

ALMOST INSTANT RAMEN

UPGRADED GRILLED CHEESE

CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA

INGREDIENTS • Instant ramen package of choice • 1 egg • Leftover veggies of choice

INGREDIENTS • 2 slices of bread • 2 slices of pre-sliced cheese of choice —

INGREDIENTS • ½ box of spaghetti • 1 can condensed mushroom soup, low sodium preferred • 3 cups fresh mushrooms • ¼ cup milk • ¼ cup dried parsley • ¼ cup mozzarella cheese • 2 tablespoons butter or margarine • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

(recommended: peppers, broccoli, mushrooms)

• Leftover protein of choice (recommended: tofu or same protein as ramen flavour)

• 1 tablespoon sriracha • 1 tablespoon ramen flavour packet • Chili flakes, for garnish • 1 green onion, for garnish INSTRUCTIONS Make ramen noodles as instructed on the packet. Do not add the flavour packet.

Mix one tablespoon sriracha, one tablespoon of the ramen flavour packet and a dash of ramen water in a separate container. Add to ramen noodles approximately five minutes before the ramen is finished cooking and stir gently.

Two minutes before ramen noodles have finished cooking, crack an egg into the pot for an egg drop soup effect. Pro-tip: a vegan egg will also work here.

Reheat your leftover veggies and protein.

Transfer your ramen into a serving bowl, add your protein and veggies on top.

Garnish with chili flakes and green onion to taste.

American cheese not recommended

• ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 tablespoon mayonnaise • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder • 2 slices apple, pear or smoked bacon (optional) INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl, mix together butter, mayonnaise and garlic powder until they form a smooth paste. Pro-tip: for a little extra flavour, try adding one teaspoon of parsley.

Spread mixture evenly across two slices of bread on one side.

Pro-tip: save any extra for next time or add on an extra layer.

Place a medium frying pan on the stovetop at medium heat.

Wait approximately one minute for the pan to heat up, then place bread buttered-side down on the frying pan.

Place one slice of cheese on each slice of bread, then one slice of apple, pear or bacon on top. Pro-tip: for extra flavour, try using slices of old or smoked cheddar.

Spread half of the mozzarella cheese on top of each slice of bread.

Wait until cheese starts to melt, then flip one slice of bread on top of the other.

Allow each side to brown, flipping after the cheese melts.

Cut in half and enjoy!

Pro-tip: you can also make this recipe in a panini press or waffle iron — it will cook more evenly in a press or iron than stovetop.

18

INSTRUCTIONS Cook pasta according to package directions.

Melt butter in a separate pan over medium heat on stovetop.

In the butter pan, add garlic powder and mushrooms.

Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the same pan, add soup and milk and stir.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add in parsley.

Drain spaghetti and add to mushroom soup mixture.

Add mozzarella cheese, stir and enjoy!

Pro-tip: add a protein of your choice on top seasoned with garlic, butter and parsley for a little extra substance.

Five life-saving kitchen appliances Your student kitchen will never be the same.

Bella Pick, Copy Editor Face it — we’ve all used the “having zero time” excuse to spend money we don’t have at on-campus eateries or UberEats instead of whipping up a meal at home.

While it’s true that making the “perfect meal” can take up a lot of time, there are ways to make cooking easier and save you from spending money on your fifth Spoke bagel of the week.

Test out these essential appliances for your off-campus kitchen.

Single Serve Coffee Maker This feature will probably be the most practical appliance you can stock in your kitchen. You’ll save lots of money from your daily Tim Hortons trips and tons of time compared to other methods of coffee preparation. There are many options on the market, so be sure to research which will work best for you. If you’re looking for something environmentally friendly, avoid the waste associated with pods by investing in reusable cups that you can pack with your own coffee grounds.

Rice Maker Rice is a classic staple of student meals and with a trusty rice maker, you no longer have to watch, wait and stir your rice to avoid burning it. They’re time-savers as you can do something else while cooking, but still have the flavour, freshness and consistency that instant rice lacks.

Waffle Iron This one seems a little out of the box, but waffle irons can double as panini makers, which means that you can make breakfast, lunch and dinner on the same appliance. They save lots of time, since you don’t have to constantly watch to avoid burning food, the appliance cooks both sides at once and their multipurpose nature saves valuable counter space.

vourful experience, so if you like speed over flavour, the InstantPot might be a better choice. The InstantPot is a pressure cooker, which means that you can cook some of your favourite meals in under 20 minutes. There are off-brand versions of both as well, if you’re looking to save a little bit of money.

InstantPot or Crock-Pot These fast or slow cookers really come down to personal preference, but both have their advantages. You can leave your Crock-Pot on for an entire day and come home to a warm meal packed with flavour from spices that have been marinating all day.

Crock-Pots take a little longer to prepare recipes for, since they do provide a more fla-

Bullet Blender There are a variety of Bullet Blenders, all of which take up little room on your counter.

Besides making the traditional smoothie, use it as a mixer while baking or making soup.

With these five appliances, you’ll be ready to face your day with a full and happy tummy, all while avoiding the temptations of the Centre Spot.

YIFEI ZHANG GAZETTE

Top reasons you need a house plant in quarantine Destiny Hopkins, Culture Intern Plants make you happy Having a few plants around reminds us of the outdoors and feeling open — even during snowy London winters. They create a peaceful atmosphere, produce soothing scents and improve air quality which positively affects your body and brain.

Houseplants, like flowers, can also increase happiness in general. Having them improves mood and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

The positivity and relaxation you feel

from having flowers and plants and the earthy aesthetic they create can heighten your optimism.

Dodge that frosh cold Your physical and mental health are interconnected, so improving your mental health can have positive physical benefits.

Plants allow you to feel relaxed, supply more oxygen and help you sleep, which can help fight off the common cold.

Plants release airborne chemicals called phytoncides that keep your immune system strong by reducing feelings of stress, help-

ing you focus and accelerate recovery and keeping you healthy and happy.

Focus that’ll last the entire study session Dull work spaces don’t provide any motivation to study, but the solution is as simple as decorating and personalizing your work space. Having plants in your space can do just that by adding a personal touch of pizazz to your calculus lecture.

Since plants boost motivation and productivity, your ability to learn is simultaneously improved. You’ll be able to think clearer, focus and feel more relaxed as you tackle your work.

19

Live with your parents in the pandemic Kirat Walia, News Editor

F

rom rent money to cleaning your own toilet, students have a lot to stress about in their rentals — so while the freedom away from parents may seem nice, consider staying home during the pandemic.

The biggest reason to stay home is obvious: saving money. Rent, groceries, furniture, utilities and internet are just a few of the expenses students face and staying at home almost immediately cuts many of these costs.

When I’m home, I don’t need to worry about expenses like rent, utilities and furniture because they have already been paid. This gives me the flexibility to budget and have financial security.

And the sense of security extends to more than just money — family often brings feelings of comfort, more so than roommates.

While independence in your own accommodations may seem great, it quickly becomes apparent that you sacrifice a lot of comfort to be there.

In London, you become the primary caretaker of a residence and that comes with more responsibilities, from cooking to cleaning.

At home, a lot of these bigger chores will usually be done for you and saving those countless hours of extra work is far more valuable than the short-lived excitement of living away from your parents, especially when you can barely even leave the house.

Living at home can also give you a less stressful environment to work in.

Even with all classes online,

20

the climate in London is taxing.

You’re almost always around other students and school must be top priority all the time. Especially as the line between work and home becomes blurred, it can be hard to take time for yourself to step back.

Even if you’re more productive away from home, your mental health matters more and being in an environment where school work is always the number one priority can negatively affect that.

Your physical health may also be safer at home than in London.

In the few months I’ve been here, London has experienced several coronavirus outbreaks and cases skyrocketed among Western University students. You are less likely to join dangerously large social gatherings at home. Being around friends and roommates in London means that you already have a larger social bubble and that bubble only gets bigger through more social interactions.

Of course living at home may not be an ideal option, and there are plenty of reasons to have your own place, but if you are able to, staying with your parents is the most practical option available.

While living in a student rental may have the charm of independence, when you take off the rose-coloured glasses, the novelty is hardly worth the rent. Living with your parents may not be as glamorous, but it is comfortable, safe and practical — and isn’t that what matters in the end?

Head to

SHO I ST OR SH IG

REBECCA STREEF GAZETTE

o head:

OULD TAY HOULD GO?

Stick out the pandemic in your student rental Rebekah Rodrigues, News Editor

A

s someone who chose to come back to London and live in their student rental this fall, I can attest to the benefits.

I have no in-person classes and no other reason to be in London, but here I am: quarantining with my roommates and having a great time. Yes, I miss my family and hometown, but spending five months at home over the summer taught me how much I value living in a different city and the independence that comes with it.

I’m lucky to live with my best friends.

Whether it be cooking together, watching movies late into the night or just staying up and talking about life, we’ve found a way to make memories from the comfort of our home.

Living through a pandemic does not mean that fun is cancelled, and — in the midst of a global health crisis — I have found that finding time to just be happy is incredibly important.

Not having to answer to anyone is also fun. The independence I have living away from home is something I crave when I’m with my family.

In London, no one tells me when to eat, where I can go, how long I can be out and who I can go out with. By no means do my parents lock me up when I’m with them, but they do expect some sort of notice when I do things.

Yes, it would save a lot of time to have my parents cook and clean things for me, but I’m at a stage in my life where I’ve started to enjoy taking the time to do tasks as a form of self-care.

I know that financial stability is another thing that many people consider when deciding whether to live at home.

When you live at home, you might not have to pay rent, for groceries and you may have access to a car to cut down on UberEats costs.

But on the other hand, it may be easier for students to find jobs around campus than in their hometowns While a job may not be a replacement for not having to pay rent, I have still found that the benefits of living in London outweigh the costs.

I am able to study more effectively and efficiently when I’m away from home.

In the few days that I’ve been home while in school, my study periods have been interrupted by parents asking when I’m going to eat, siblings trying to talk to me and meetings paused because someone needs me to fix the wifi.

I know it’s no one’s fault, but these types of interruptions never occur when I live with my roommates because, for one, they are also constantly in meetings or doing work, and second, our comfort level has not yet reached barging into each other’s rooms because we need help opening a can.

I also find my motivation to study and get work done declines when I’m home, mainly because my family stops doing work at around 5 p.m.. As a student with extracurricular activities and a job that often demands sporadic work hours, I simply cannot stop working at that time. In London, I often see my roommates working well into the night and that pushes me to do so as well.

Having some space from my family has helped me recentre myself and work on my own mental health.

Spending half a year at home before school kicked off was tough on my mental well-being, in part because I felt cooped up in my house, but also because I found myself arguing with my parents more than usual.

Just because you have a free place to stay doesn’t mean you have to live there.

21

Editorial:

We need more fines for pandemic partiers E

veryone knows pandemic parties are a no-go and for those who choose to party-on regardless in blissful ignorance, there needs to be serious consequences.

London has seen a surge in illegal house parties — some with over 100 guests — in the past month. A Halloween gathering on Beaufort Street saw two men fined and a party on Mill Street saw one 18-year-old and two 19-year-olds charged for hosting.

The fines for hosting an indoor gathering of more than 10 people start at $10,000 and go up to $100,000 in Ontario. Attending one of these gatherings can net partiers a $750 fine.

While they may seem draconian, large fines are a deterrent for large parties. We are in the middle of a pandemic and these fines are one of the only ways the city can get through to residents who aren’t listening to their “stay home, stay safe” messaging.

In the words of London’s mayor, “you can’t fix stupid, but you can fine it,” and hopefully deter them from repeating the action.

The steep fines also play an important role beyond discouraging repeat offences — deterring people from hosting and attending parties in the first place. A $10,000 fine, not to mention a $100,000 fine, makes a dent regardless of your salary and even those who aren’t concerned about transmitting the coronavirus take notice of that.

But if these fines are to work, they have to be used consistently and levied more liberally. Out of 150 attendees at the Beaufort Street Halloween gathering, only two partiers were charged. While it might not be realistic to fine every attendee at a gathering of more than 100, in order for the fines to have the greatest impact possible they need to be applied in their intended spirit.

Of course fines don’t mean there won’t be any more parties — but that is all the more reason to have systems in place to mitigate this behaviour.

And right now, mitigation is what we need to get ahead of rising cases.

22

A user posted photos of their home security camera of a Halloween house party on Beaufort Street on the popular student Facebook group “’Must Knows’ for courses at UWO.”

Mapping London’s running paths, gyms and sports fields Just because you can’t get to the Rec Centre doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout.

Alex McComb, Sports Editor Jordan Bloom, Sports Editor

downtown London and don’t want to catch a bus to campus.

Tired of home workouts? Bored of the doeverything-from-home routine?

Lace up Mustangs, the Gazette is here to tell you about the countless places in London where you can get a good workout in, all while maintaining a six-foot distance from the next gym rat.

Tennis courts The University Tennis Centre is conveniently located on campus across from the Music Building near Talbot College. Its location makes it accessible no matter where you live, thanks to the bus pass. The UTC’s six hard courts are bubbled to be usable for yearround play. They are likely the best quality courts you’ll find in London.

The catch? They aren’t cheap to use.

A winter student membership costs $99 and court fees are an additional $12 per student per hour. If you’re a diehard player, this is the spot for you, but if you only plan on playing a few times in the fall or spring, don’t change your housing plans to get close to these courts.

Gibbons and Picadilly park both have tennis courts. Gibbons is right off of the TVP just south of campus, and Picadilly east of the Jack Astors on Richmond Row. Piccadilly also has a basketball net.

Ambleside Park near Masonville has some tennis courts available and if you live east of campus, check out Wychwood Park.

Trails and paths If you’re a runner, biker or are looking to go out on a long walk, the Thames Valley Parkway is the spot for you. With over 40 kilometers of paths that go in three directions, the trail system has entry points all over the Western University area.

The TVP is an asphalt path, divided by a yellow line down the middle for two-way traffic. The path isn’t continuous, as certain trail points merge with side streets before picking up again a few hundred meters later. Look at a map before heading out or follow signs along the trail to ensure you are on the right path.

The trail’s epicenter is right near the Forks area downtown and then travels west, southeast and north. The north branch travels right through campus, passing by Elgin Hall. Recent bridge additions to the path were completed within the last few weeks, extending the trail’s north branch through Ross Park to the North London Athletic Fields and beyond.

Tracks If scenic running isn’t your thing, you don’t have to look far to find somewhere to run.

The track at TD Stadium is usually open for student use, even when the football team is practising on the field. Head to the separate asphalt path that goes around the gates of the stadium if the track team or another group is practising on the real track, so other runners won’t ruin your session.

Victoria Park, an obvious option, isn’t a track per se, but it’s sidewalk circles the park’s grassy fields. Try it out if you live near

Indoor gyms and fitness centres London is home to a large number of indoor gyms and fitness centres that have adapted to the new normal of fitness during a pandemic.

On the north side of the city, you’ll find two GoodLife Fitness facilities: the London Sherwood Forest Mall and the Masonville Mall locations, along with a YMCA in Stoney Creek. There’s also a 9Round Fitness and you can always visit the Western Student Recreation Centre if you book a workout time in advance.

South London has even more registered fitness centres for you to check out. There’s GoodLife Fitness London Southdale, the Movati Athletic Bostwick location, F45 Training White Oaks and a variety of more niche places that cater to workouts like crossfit and yoga.

There are plenty of small businesses students can use in downtown and central Lon-

don. Athletic Fluency, MVMT Strength and Bodyworx Personal Training Studio among others have all been able to stay in business during the pandemic.

The west side of the city features a similar array of fitness centres. There are three different Fit4Less locations, including Oakridge Park, Proudfoot and Westmount. REV3K, Hybrid Fitness Centre and Forest City Fitness are smaller businesses you can visit as well.

In the east, you can find two GoodLife Fitness locations, London Oxford and Adelaide as well as Revkor London East, Powerhouse Training Systems and CrossFit London among others.

Outdoor sports fields and recreation centres If you’re worried about coming in contact with coronavirus while indoors but still want to get a good workout in, many of London’s recreation centres have open soccer fields for any kind of training you’re looking to do.

In the north end, you can go to Dan Pulham Field, Stoneybrook Recreation Field, Windermere Field and North London Volleyball Fields.

In the south of London, there’s the Southcrest Baseball Diamond, Nicholas Wilson Park, St. Lawrence Park, White Oaks Park and Arthur Ford Park.

The west side of London has the Byron Optimist Sports Complex, Greenway Park Soccer Fields, West Lions Park and Gresham Heights Park.

London’s east end has a noticeably higher number of sports fields available to the public. There are eight fields in the area, including Ted Early Fields, McMahen Park Baseball Diamond and Kiwanis Park.

Students have a stockpile of options to get their reps in if you want to get away from any unmotivated home workouts.

If you decide to take your training to any of these locations, remember to stay safe, socially distance and wear your mask in public areas when physical distancing is a challenge.

Let’s get physical, Western.

23

KAUSTAV SHARMA GAZETTE

A map detailing all the recreational and exercising spots for students.

Five affordable workout essentials for your student home Rebekah Rodrigues, News Editor With the Western Student Recreation Centre at limited capacity and fitness centres in London facing new restrictions, students are looking for ways to equip their homes with affordable, effective and easy-to-use workout equipment.

Whether you’re trying to convince your landlord to buy you a treadmill or following along to Chloe Ting’s workout videos, everyone can agree that not having access to a gym makes it challenging to get in an effective workout. Not to mention the obscene cost of some equipment is a major turn-off.

Look no further than these inexpensive, easy-to-store essentials that will guide you through anything from a cardio workout to an easy-going yoga session.

Yoga mat A tried and true classic, yoga mats are an important tool in strength training. YouTube influencers like Chloe Ting and MadFit use yoga mats for ab exercises, booty training and even leg and upper body workouts. For exercises where you need to get on your hands and 24

knees, yoga mats keep you from slipping and provide extra cushioning to prevent bruising from an uncomfortable floor.

Price-wise, yoga mats are some of the most inexpensive equipment you can get for maximum use. You can find them at Walmart for around $10.

Booty bands Smaller resistance bands, also known as booty bands, go around your thighs and are used to enhance regular lower body exercises by adding resistance. Each set of bands comes with different levels of resistance and are perfect to use while doing squats, glute bridges, hip abductions and more. These bands can be purchased on Amazon for anywhere from $10 to $20.

Jump rope Remember when you were 10 years old and you used to jump rope for 30 minutes straight without breaking a sweat? If you try that now there’s a good chance you will be drenched with sweat in the first 10 minutes.

Jumping rope is an excellent workout but is often neglected for other cardio exercises

like running or riding a bike. However, if you do not have a treadmill or stationary bike at home and do not want to brave the cold outside, a jump rope might be for you.

Jump ropes sell for as little as $7 at Walmart and Amazon.

Resistance bands These longer resistance bands offer more versatile training at home. Often equipped with handles and ankle straps, resistance bands can be used for both lower and upper body exercises. The bands are a great substitute for weights, much cheaper and can be used for bicep curls, tricep extensions, rows and chest presses. On Amazon, you can get these bands for around $16 to $25.

Pull-up bar Pull-up bars are the one of the most effective pieces of equipment offered at a wide range of prices. Often installed in doorways, pull up bars allow you to do pull ups, chin ups, hanging leg raises, giving you excellent arm, chest, shoulders, back and abdomen workouts.

While some are more expensive than others, you can find one within your budget.