Author: Kaitlynn Rodney

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Concordia Student Union News

A week long celebration of gender health

Day two of the Gender Health Hub focused on navigating being a trans patient as gender affirming care is expanding in the healthcare system. Photo by Kaitlynn Rodney / The Concordian

The CSU introduced their new Gender Health Hub with a week of workshops and events.

Last week, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) kicked off their new Gender Health Hub initiative with a Health Hub fair.

The Gender Health Hub is a network of Concordia groups and services that “connects students to holistic, feminist and trans-inclusive health and wellness services.”  It provides all students with free and easy-to-access gender related healthcare. 

The fair last week was a way for students to discover the services offered by the Hub. The week- long festivities took a community focus with workshops that were discussion and storytelling based. 

Some of the services offered include free menstrual and sexual health products, trans-patient support and advocacy, an abortion support hotline, as well as workshops and clinics on a variety of topics planned throughout the year.

The first workshop, conducted on Oct. 23, was on hormone literacy and discussed the role of hormones in menstruation, menopause, as well as hormonal replacement therapy. The CSU also provided goodie bags with menstrual products for those who stopped by. 

The second workshop on the following day focused on surviving the healthcare system as a transgender patient. Jacob Williams, a member of the Trans Patient Union at McGill, discussed his experiences in the system while opening the floor up to others to share as well.

Anthony, a student at Concordia, was happy to learn from these workshops and collect resources.

“I came here to help understand how to support my friend during his transition,” he said, “and after sitting through [the workshop] and hearing everyone’s experiences and how they had to do their own research and, in some cases, educate the doctors and fight for their health that intensely—it’s mind-blowing.” 

The Hub also showcased some of the other services the students have access to. They offered two more workshops that focused on mental health: an art therapy session that included coping techniques such as a body scan, and a mentoring workshop to create a safe space where students could share their experiences. 

For students who missed the workshops, the Hub presented its network at a health services table fair. Some of the groups participating in the event included the Centre for Gender Advocacy, Sex and Self Concordia, Woman on Web and a few others. 

To wrap up the week, students were invited to a party at Studio 414 on Saturday night, in celebration of this new project 

Hannah Jackson, external affairs and mobilization coordinator at the CSU, explained that this is just the beginning for the Gender Health Hub. More events will be held throughout the semester—like workshops on massages for scarwork, and other programs to help trans-patients navigate the bureaucracy of the healthcare system.

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Uncategorized

Master your Photo Skills with the Concordian

Students at the climate protest in downtown Montreal on September 23, 2022. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/ The Concordian

Photography is as easy as one, two, three!

Are you ready to switch out the average camera on the phone in your pocket for a more professional camera? The team at the Concordian put together a simple guide to help our fellow photojournalists out with some advice based on journalistic situations you would find yourself in.

To start things off, before you even start fiddling with your camera settings, set your camera to Manual mode. This will give you full control of the camera versus other default settings where the camera might automatically adjust settings based on the situation.

Understanding the basics of your camera – 

Now that your camera is in Manual mode, you have to understand the interaction between light and the camera, also known as the exposure triangle. The exposure triangle balances three elements: your shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. 

Think of shutter speed as curtains for a window. Your shutter is the curtains that close inside the camera when you press the button to take the picture. It essentially opens and closes the shutter to either slow down or freeze movement. 

Imagine you open and shut the curtains at 1/500 of a second. Not a lot of light can get in during the short time it was open, right? You maybe get one brief glance out your window due to how fast the curtains shut, but not the whole scene. However, if the curtains closed at 1/30 a second, think of how much more you could see. The longer the shutter stays open, the more information the camera takes in. Longer shutter speeds can lead to motion blur, while faster shutter speeds freeze motion.  

Up next is your ISO, which is essentially light sensitivity. This concept goes back to the film days—each film had its own level and amount of light it was able to process. Think of it as a scale of light with 100 being a full sunny day and 3200 being nighttime. You can use this as wiggle room on your shutter speed or aperture. 

One more thing to keep in mind is higher ISO also comes with a bit more noise, or grain, and the camera would work harder to capture the scene.

The final component of the exposure triangle is the aperture. A camera is basically a hole that opens, lets light in, and then captures it in its simplest form. The aperture allows you to decide the size of that hole—it can either be wide open and let lots of information in, or tiny and only let a little bit in. This determines how much of your image will be in focus. 

Let’s say you just want to capture the foreground—whatever element is closest to your camera. You would use a smaller aperture of around F/2.8. For something like landscapes, where you would want everything in focus, we would suggest a wider aperture of F/14. 

Different journalistic situations –

As long as these three elements balance, you can conquer a lot of the photojournalistic scenarios you’d find yourself in. Are you on the news beat? In a lot of situations, you’ll be taking portraits of your subjects for a visual. In these types of situations we would suggest:

  • Shutter Speed: 1/100 or faster
  • Aperture: F/1.8 – F/5.6
  • ISO: 100-400
  • Focus: Auto (AF)
  • Focus Type: Continuous/Servo
  • White Balance: AWB
  • Drive Mode: Single Shot

Student leading the climate protest in downtown Montreal on September 23, 2022. Photo by Dalia Nardolillo/THE CONCORDIAN.

Do you like to capture the action of athletes on the field during a game? We would suggest the following settings for sports photography:

  • Shutter Speed: 1/500 at a minimum to ensure the movement is captured
  • Aperture: F/2.8 – F/5.6
  • ISO: 400
  • Focus: Auto (AF)
  • Focus Type: Continuous/Servo
  • White Balance: AWB
  • Drive Mode: Continuous/Burst 

Photo by Catherine Reynolds / The Concordian

Maybe you prefer to photograph the emotion and excitement of a concert. This can be a little trickier with all the crazy lighting typical to shows. One important thing to remember is that red light is the hardest to photograph in. Here are some settings that we would suggest to elevate your concert experience:  

  • Shutter Speed: 1/250 or faster (pro tip: try lower for some artsy motion blur) 
  • Aperture: F/1.8 – F/4 ( preferably as low as it can go!)
  • ISO: 1600 – 3200
  • Focus: Auto (AF) as well as spot-metering 
  • Focus Type: Continuous/Servo
  • White Balance: AWB
  • Drive Mode: Continuous/Burst

Photo by Catherine Reynolds / The Concordian

Long story short, this little guide does not cover every situation you’ll be faced with. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works for you and we hope above all that this is a good start for your photography adventure!

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Community

15 things to do this April

James Fay/ THE CONCORDIAN @jamesfaydraws

Spring is in the air, and you can feel the city slowly coming back to life. Here are some things you can do to help you wake up from hibernation.

1. MFF Night Market  

What: A nighttime market featuring Montreal artists and live performances 

When: April 5 and 19 from 6 to 10 p.m. 

Where: Le Frigo Vert

2. Comedy Carnival  

What: Nights filled with songs, laughs and food. Sounds like a good time!

When: Every Thursday from 10 to 11:30 p.m. until May 3

Where: 2015 Rue Crescent, third floor

3. Conférence-Débat Upop Montreal 

What: If a classroom setting just isn’t for you, try joining in on one of these events to learn about life on Earth 

When: April 5, 19 and 26 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Where: La Brassée, 2522 Rue Beaubien Est

4. Shiny Disco Ball Dance Party 

What: Have you ever felt like you were born in the wrong era? Well, for one night you can party like it’s the 1970s at the Shiny Disco Ball. 

When: April 8 at 8 p.m. 

Where: Plaza Centre-Ville 777 Boulevard Robert-Bourassa

5. Blue Metropolis Literary Festival 

What: This year is the 25th anniversary of the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival, and they’re hosting virtual and in-person events revolving around literature and writing workshops. 

When: April 12 to 30

Where: Events are all virtual until the April 27, where the in-person festival takes place at Hotel 10 Sherbrooke St. W

6. Le Grande Braderie de Mode 

What: Also known as the Big Fashion sale, this semi-annual clothing sale features some of Quebec’s most prominent names in the fashion world. 

When: April 13 – 16 

Where: Marché Bonsecours  

7. Trek Boucherville Roulez et Réparez 

What: A chance to try out different bicycles while learning to upkeep and repair them at the same time. 

When: April 15 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Where: Trek Bicycle Montréal Griffintown, 291 Rue de la Montagne, Montréal, Canada

8. ToyCon Montreal   

What: A convention that displays the latest action figures, collectables and comics. Head over in your favourite cosplay and see what you can find. 

When: April 15 – 16 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Marriott Montreal Airport Courtyard 7000 Place Robert-Joncas

9. Festival Vues d’Afrique 

What: A festival that consists of themed days focusing on different cultures. It features films, art exhibits, food and round table discussions on a variety of topics. 

When: April 20 – 30

Where: 100 R. Sherbrooke E Bureau 3100,

10. Montreal Green Tech Festival 

What: A weekend that showcases the newest technological advances in green technology, as well a special showcase event on electric vehicles. 

When: April 21 – 23

Where: Olympic Stadium

11. Plural Contemporary Art Fair 

What: This event shows off some of the best contemporary art from across the country with a mix of virtual and in-person events.

When: April 21 – 23

Where: Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal 

12. Terra Concert  

What: A one-hour concert that focuses on the environment as a tribute to earth day

When: April 22 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where:  Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel 400 Rue Saint Paul Est

13. Vegapalooza 

What: Celebrate springtime at Vegapalooza, where you can try vegan foods and buy vegan products.  

When: April 29 – 30

Where: Maison du développement durable 50 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest

14. SAT Cabane a Sucre Experience 

What: An immersive and unique sugar shack experience that was a collaborative project put together by different Quebecois artists. 

When:  March 30 – April 29 

Where: 1201 Saint Laurent Blvd

15. The Belgo Building 

What: The Belgo building features 27 free galleries and installations open to the public.

When: The building is open every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. but each installation has their own opening hours

Where: 372 Saint-Catherine St. W

Bonus: WWF’s Climb for Nature 

What: If you’re feeling adventurous and looking for a challenge, you can partake in the WWF’s climb for nature. 

When: April 15 – 16

Where: Metro Toronto Convention Centre Hall C, North Building.

Categories
Community

15 things to do this March

James Fay/ THE CONCORDIAN @jamesfaydraws

Didn’t get to do all the winter activities you wanted? Well you will surely find something to do this March

1. Montreal en Lumière                                       

What: Montreal en Lumière offers tons of activities. Anything from free shows, art tutorials, a skating rink and even a Ferris wheel. There is something to do for everyone. 

When:  February 16 – March 5 

Where: Quartier des Spectacles 

2. Garden of Oddness   

What: The learning doesn’t stop just because you’re on break. Montreal’s Botanical Garden has set up a space where you can learn about carnivorous plants.                                       

When: February 22 – April 30                                                   

Where: Montreal Botanical Gardens

3. Apik

What: Picture this: hitting the slopes, but close to home. Apik brings winter activities, such as a snowboarding circuit and ski completions, to the heart of Montreal.  

When: February 24 – March 5          

Where: Quartier Latin                      

4. Festival Casteliers                                               

What: A festival that looks at and displays puppeteering from all around the world. You can attend shows and tutorials, as well as take a look behind the scenes.       

When: March 1 – March 5                                                                       

Where: Théâtre Outremont, International House of Puppetry (MIAM)

5. Happening Gourmand                                  

What: It’s the 15th edition of this Montreal Food festival. Happening Gourmand puts some of the Old Port’s best restaurants on display with prices that are affordable.                                

When: March 2 – April 2                                                         

Where: Visit their website for participating restaurants across the Old Port

6. Festival Soleil d’hiver Montréal                                             

What:  Looking to escape the winter cold without going far? The Soleil d’hiver festival brings a bit of those warm tropical destinations to Montreal. You can enjoy food, cocktails, music and more.                                                                                

When: March 3 – March 5                                                             

Where: Marché Bonsecours  

7. Study Abroad Fair                      

What: Meet with university graduate schools and other groups. They can answer your questions and help you plan a semester abroad.                         

When: March 4 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.                                                 

Where: Palais des congrès 

8. Cabaret de Cirque                                     

What: A show filled with acrobats and stunts themed around the “multiple facets of this city.”                                                                   

When: March 9 – March 25                                                               

Where: Centre St Jax 

9. Bikini Bottom Rave           

What: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to party in Bikini Bottom? Check out this Spongebob SquarePants themed rave to find out.                                                                      When: March 10                                                                  

Where: Corona Theatre 

10. ZEM Social                           

What: Have you ever heard of Brazilian Zouk? Head on down to Montreal’s ZEM Social to learn, practice and dance the Zouk way.           

When: March 18 from 8 p.m. – 1 a.m.                                                        

Where: Station Clark – Danse & Fitness

11. Art Souterrain                                              

What: A free interactive art festival that features different installations placed along a route made in Montreal’s underground city.                                                                   

When: March 18 – April 9                                            

Where: Montreal’s underground network  

12. Saint Patrick’s Day Parade                                     

What: Show off your Irish Jig at the 198th Montreal Saint Patrick’s Day parade. 

When: March 19 at 12 p.m.                                                      

Where: Downtown Montreal (Parade route to be confirmed) 

13. Sexposition                             

What: A “taboo-free” weekend featuring erotic art. In the evening, the venue takes up a nightclub scene with DJs and performances.                                                                                     When: March 25 – March 26                                                                 

Where: Bain Mathieu

14. Montréal Joue                                                  

What: Various Montreal libraries will be hosting themed game nights, including everything from trivia to virtual reality.                                                                    

When: Beginning February 26 – May 28                                              

Where: Various libraries across Montreal. There will also be some virtual events. 

15. Sugar Shack 

What: The sweet smell of syrup is among us. Yes, Quebec’s maple syrup season has started. Head on over to Cap-Saint-Jacques’ sugar shack for a sugary treat. 

When: Every weekend in March and the week of March break 

Where: Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques

Categories
Community

15 things to do in December

Graphic by James Fay

End the year off with one (or more!) of these fun events.

Luminothérapie 

What: The thirteenth edition of an interactive installation designed to get you moving and enjoying the fresh air through its use of lights and sound.  

When: Dec. 1 – March 5

Where: Quartier des Spectacles 

Montreal Brazilian Film Festival 

What: A film festival showcasing some of the best work from Brazil. The event features movies of all genres. 

When: Dec 2 – 8 

Where: Cinema du Parc

Noël dans le parc 

What: A festival that features up-and-coming artists from all art forms. They also offer a chance to buy cultivated Christmas trees and wreaths.

When: Dec. 3 – 31

Where: Various places around downtown Montreal 

Place Émilie-Gamelin 1500 Rue Berri, Montreal, Quebec

Parc des Compagnons-de-Saint-Laurent, 1W5, 4365-4375 R. Cartier, Montreal, Quebec

Parc Lahaie, Montreal,Quebec H2T 1R7

The world’s smallest comedy night 

What: Head on down to Hurley’s Irish Pub for an open mic stand-up comedy show, featuring new and established comedians. 

When: Dec. 5 

Where: 1225 Crescent St, Montreal, H3G 2B1

Indigenous Holiday Market 

What: A chance to pick up some early Holiday presents and support Indigenous communities. 

When: Dec. 6

Where: Hall building, Concordia  

Riverside Bar 

What: Riverside bar gets turned into an igloo for the holiday season, with themed drinks and a chilly vibe. 

When: Wednesday – Sunday, starting Dec. 8

Where: 5020 rue St-Ambroise, Montréal, QC H4C 2G1 

COVEN Drag Show 

What: A bilingual show hosted by some of Montreal’s prominent drag figures.

When: Dec. 16 

Where: The Diving Bell Social Club / Club Social Le Scaphandre, 3956 St Laurent Blvd Étage 3, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1Y3

Dupatta & Voile 

What: An immersive dance show that takes a look at Bollywood and different aspects of Indian culture.

When: Dec. 17

Where: Hindu Mandir, 50 Kesmark St, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Quebec H9B 3K4 

New Years Eve party – Aurora Halal + softcoresoft + Maara

What: With the help of DJ’s, bring your partying spirit under a 360-degree dome of visuals. 

When: Dec. 31

Where: Société des arts technologiques [SAT], 1201, Boul. Saint-Laurent Montreal, QC, Canada H2X 2S6

Montreal Christmas Markets 

What: Multiple markets situated in prime locations around the city. Activities range from food tastings to shopping to arts and crafts. There’s something for everyone! 

When: All of December 

Where: Atwater Market, Jean Talon, and Quartier des Spectacles.

Ogilvy’s window displays 

What: Oglivy’s has displayed magical winter scenes through their storefronts for over the past 70 years. Though recently coming to an end, the window displays were donated to the McCord Stewart museum where they will continue presenting the spirit of the holidays!

When: All of December 

Where: The McCord Stewart Museum, 690 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1E9

Soundbox by Hennessy 

What: A pop-up cocktail bar that explores the connection between Hennessy and hip hop. A small group can enjoy the themed room while listening to a record of some classic hip-hop. 

When: Running until March 31

Where: W Montreal, 901 Rue du Square-Victoria, Montréal, QC H2Z 1R1

Visit Mount Royal 

What: Get some fresh air and partake in one of Mount Royal’s many outdoor activities, from skating on beaver lake to cross-country skiing and sledding

When: Any day

Where: Mont Royal Park 

Museum of Jewish Montreal virtual exhibit

What: The Museum of Jewish Montreal offers lots of exhibits you can see from your own home. 

When: Any day 

Where: On their website ( see title) 

Drink and draw 

What: Pack up your art supplies and head over for a live drawing session

When: Every Wednesday 

Where: Bar le Cocktail, 1669 St Catherine St E, Montreal, Quebec H2L 2J5

Categories
Community

15 can’t miss things to do this November

James Fay/ THE CONCORDIAN @jamesfaydraws

In November you begin to know how long the winter will be, but never fear, here are some events to see.

  1. Montreal Career Fair  

Where: Holiday Inn, Centreville Downtown

When: Nov. 30 

What: A chance to meet with different industry leaders, explore future job options and ask questions. 

  1. Remembrance Day Parade 

Where: Place du Canada

When: Nov. 11 

What: An annual event put on by the Black Watch in remembrance of the soldiers who fought and died for their country. 

  1. Coup de Coeur Festival 

Where: various shows across Montreal

When: Nov. 3-13

What: A festival dedicated to French artists from the local and international stage.

  1. Montreal International Documentary Festival  

Where: varying cinemas across Montreal 

When: Nov. 17-27

What: One of North America’s top documentary film festivals showing works from Canadians and international filmmakers. 

  1. Bach Festival   

Where: La Maison symphonique de Montréal

When: Nov. 12 through Dec. 21 

What : A festival dedicated entirely to famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach, it consists of performances, educational pieces and open rehearsals.

  1. Researchers’ Night 

Where: Montreal Botanical Gardens 

When: Nov. 11 

What: It’s a night from the past, with scientists from different eras coming together to focus on different topics and explain their research and answer questions. 

  1. ​​ Taylor Swift Dance Party 

Where: The Ritz Bar 

When Nov. 5

What: A dance party going to 3 am playing solely Taylor swift music from start to finish. 

  1. A Railway’s Christmas 

Where: The Canadian Railway Museum 

When: Nov. 25 – Jan. 3

What: The Railway Museum has decorated many of its vehicles in Christmas holiday fashion and will offer many different activities. 

  1. Mundial Montreal  

Where: varying locations around Montreal 

When: Nov. 15-18 

What: An event that features diverse artists and sounds from around 50 regions of the globe.  

  1. Singh’s Arcade 

Where: 83 rue Ste-Anne, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue

When: any time you’d like

What: An old style arcade with a twist, this space doubles as an art gallery that exhibits different local Montreal artists each month and an arcade to kick some butt at Pac-Man. 

  1. Celebration of Light: Diwali Party

Where:  L’Orbite 406 Rue Notre-Dame Est Montréal

When: Nov. 4

What: The South Asian Youth Collective is organizing a party in celebration of Diwali, a day celebrated in many cultures to shine bright and be with loved ones before the cold winter months come in. 

  1. Paranormal Investigation – Old Sainte Antoine Cemetery

Where: Wilfrid Laurier Memorial

When: Nov. 5 

What: A ghost-hunting tour where you will learn about the past events of the area, and even learn about some strategies and tools that are used to communicate and track paranormal activities. 

  1. Pokémon Tournament 

Where: Three Kings Loot Inc. 

When: Every Tuesday

What: Dust out your old Pokémon cards and head on down to battle!

  1. “Get It In Writing!” Workshop

Where: L’Annexe: the Ometz Centre for Young Adults 

When: Nov. 29 

What: A workshop to teach self expression in the written form, no prior experience is needed! 

  1. The Breakfast Crawl

Where: McConnell Engineering Building

When: Nov. 19

What: Similar to a pub crawl, this event involves going to five different breakfast locations around Montreal where you will receive a beverage/meal at every stop. All proceeds go to charity.

Categories
Community Student Life

Things to do in Montreal this month

CHRISTINE BEAUDOIN/The COncordian

October is not only for frights but many adventurous nights.

  1. Ramen Ramen Fest 

Where: In participating restaurants around Montreal 

When: Oct. 11-16 

What: A celebration of the iconic dish. You can try different ramen dishes around Montreal and then vote for the best online.

  1. Fright Fest

Where: La Ronde, Île Sainte-Hélène

When: every Saturday and Sunday from Oct. 8-30 

What: The amusement park has several haunted houses open to try, as well as zombies and vampires parading the park. 

  1.  Arab World Festival of Montreal

Where: Place des Arts 

When: Oct. 29 through Nov. 13

What: A multidisciplinary event that looks at the intercultural exchanges of the Arab and Western world. You can see a variety of performance pieces, art exhibits, and films from all over the world. 

  1. Montreal Connect

Where: online and in Montreal 

When: Oct. 15 – 23 

What: A festival that looks at digital development and its connection with many topics. Expect guest speakers, events and conferences. 

  1. Fika

What: An immersive festival of Scandinavian and Nordic culture and art.

Where: Participating locations around Montreal 

When: Oct. 17-23

  1.  SOS Labyrinthe Halloween Special

What: A halloween themed maze.

When: Every weekend until Halloween 

Where: Old Port of Montreal 

  1. Imagining a Queer Eruv: A Walking Conversation

Where: Starting in St-Viateur Park Outremont, 

When: Oct. 19

What: A walk and discussion with artist and researcher Iso E. Setel. 

  1. Walk the Promenade Fleuve-Montagne

Where: From Mont Royal near Pine and Peel

When: Any day

What: A 3.8 km walk that connects Mount Royal and the St. Lawrence river. 

  1. Le sentier du cœur de l’île

Where: downtown Montreal

When: Any day 

What: An interactive path that you can walk or cycle that goes across some of Montreal’s cultural landscapes as well as art installations.

  1. Quinn’s Farm 

Where: 2495 Boul Perrot, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot

What: Farm visit including apple picking and pumpkin picking. 

When: October

  1. Yayoi Kusama: DANCING LIGHTS THAT FLEW UP TO THE UNIVERSE

Where: PHI Centre 

What: Yayoi Kusama is one of the most popular living contemporary artists today. She worked alongside the PHI Centre to bring her first exhibit to Montreal in celebration of the location’s 15th anniversary. 

When: Wednesday to Sunday until Jan. 15

  1. Festival du Nouveau Cinéma

Where: Participating venues around Montreal

When: Oct. 5 -16 

What: A festival showing hundreds of new and interesting films from a wide variety of genres. 

  1. Montreal’s Off Jazz Festival 

Where: Varying locations around Montreal

When: Oct. 6-15

What: A series of jazz concerts and shows, organised by Montreal jazz artists.

  1. Light The Night

Where: Virtual event

When: Saturday, Oct. 22

What: A fundraiser for those affected by blood cancer. 

  1. Carnaval des Couleurs

Where: Quartier de Spectacles

When: Oct. 7-9 

What: A celebration of LGBTQ+ communities, with shows and themed workshops regarding issues on homophobia and racism.

Getting vitamin D is not as hard as you think

Here are some small things to add a bit of sun in your day-to-day life

The grass is starting to grow beneath the shrinking piles of snow, the flowers are awakening from their long winters’ nap, the air has a slight hint of manure. Yes, spring is here!

When spring comes around, the craving for fresh air and sun is always running high. This is completely natural, as stated in an article by NBC; humans tend to “hibernate” for the winter by staying in. This leads to us awakening from our slumbering and groggy selves as spring rolls in.

Giving in to spring’s good looks can be hard as it tends to go hand in hand with the busiest time of the semester. But the fresh air isn’t as out of reach as it may seem, as you don’t need to dedicate an entire day to soak up the benefits of the sun.

Experts say as little as 10 to 15 minutes outside can lift your mood, improve your immune system and help you sleep. (Which you definitely still need to do, even during finals). A lot of these benefits are related to how the sun boosts your serotonin levels, otherwise known as the “happiness hormone.”

One of the best ways to feel those rays is to sunbathe! Have you ever seen your dog or cat wander the house and sit in a tiny ounce of sunlight that is beaming into the room? Well, they have the right idea. Sunbathing is one of the simplest ways to enjoy UV rays and is often overlooked. It takes next to no effort and can be done from nearly anywhere: your balcony, backyard, a park, or even just next to a window.

While you’re out there taking it all in, you don’t have to sit around and do nothing. You can always take that growing pile of books outside with you and set up an outdoor office. Sunlight improves your mood and your creativity levels, according to an article in Time Magazine. This would put you in a better state of mind to study.

If outdoor lounging or studying doesn’t quite interest you, then find a different time of day to squeeze some sunlight in, like lunch time. You can always have a little picnic at a local park or even in your backyard. It doesn’t have to be a whole setup with a blanket (although every once in a while it is really fun). You can just walk to your favourite nearby spot and take some time to enjoy your food.

With the end of the semester comes high stress, and 15 minutes in the sun may not be enough to soothe your anxieties. You can always go for a walk. Students get told this millions of times a day, but that just shows how helpful and easy it could be. Going for a walk is a triple whammy: it will allow you to enjoy the sun you have been craving, move your body and take a break from your workspace.

An article in the New Yorker mentions how going for a walk can boost your mood: “Because we don’t have to devote much conscious effort to the act of walking, our attention is free to wander.” By allowing your mind to wander, a lot of those worries will be put on the back burner for a bit and reduce stress levels.

Spring for some means stress and finals, but it is also a time of new beginnings and growth. Allow these ideas to inspire you to make some small changes in your day to enjoy spring’s warmth and brightness. All you need is 15 minutes.

 

Graphic by @the.beta.lab

Plants: filling the void and helping you succeed

Plant babies are offering hidden benefits in their new homes, especially during quarantine

Are you a plant parent? No? What are you waiting for? Many see those green leafy items just as some-thing to forget to water. Those ideas are changing.

In recent months, there has been a rise in plant culture. Videos of plant tips and tricks, and some of plant parents just showing off their collections, have been taking the internet by storm. You can scroll through the vines of Instagram as well as “PlantTok,” the plant side of TikTok, watching plant-filled content for hours.

Odarlyn, the creator of plantiiplants on Instagram and YouTube, started her page in October 2020 and has since grown a community of over 22,000 plant lovers. With her community rapidly growing, she shared her thoughts over Instagram on why plants were suddenly becoming such an interest: “Quarantine! People are in need of feeling responsible for something. In this case, keeping plants alive.”

All throughout quarantine, many nurseries reported soaring plant sales, as people used plants as an outlet for all things they were missing from the pre-COVID world.

“Somewhere amid COVID-19 lockdowns, pandemic plant parents are filling the voids in their social life — and apartments — with an influx of flora,” stated an article by NBC.

Plants can actually do more for you than fill the void left from pre-COVID times. Overall, houseplants have countless benefits, especially in your workspace.

When spending all week preparing for an exam, the last thing you want to worry about is the space in which you work. However, your space can have an impact on your studies. Small changes like adding some greenery to your desk can actually improve your concentration. Multiple studies have been conducted over the years demonstrating how having indoor plants can lead to better focus and more productivity overall.

Even for the most focused students, school can be extremely stressful. Getting a plant to put on your desk won’t eliminate all that pressure; however, a study done by the University of Hyogo in Japan proved that having plants in your work environment can lead to less stress in your life. The researchers agreed that stress is a pressing issue in today’s workspaces and felt that adding some greenery is a solution that is often overlooked.

Nature and greenery have been known to reduce stress compared to urban landscapes. By adding a small house plant on your desk and looking at it when you feel stressed, you are providing your brain with a little bit of natural scenery to decompress.

When you have a new plant and it’s thriving, you feel as though you’re thriving too. New leaves can be almost as exciting as passing that course you have been working so hard for. This is because the answer is also in the interaction: the Hyogo study showed that people who took care of their plant grew a positive attachment, which leads to greater stress relieving benefits.

Don’t worry — there is no need to buy millions of houseplants and turn your office into your own personal forest (although you could if you want). The study shared that even just one small plant reduced the stress of their participants.

Now after all that information, there is only one final step in becoming a plant parent, and that is to buy a plant. This can seem like a daunting task as there are many varieties of houseplants you can choose from. It’s important to take a look at the kind of environment the plants will be living in and use this to guide your decision.

Plants aren’t always easy to take care of, especially if you don’t have the greenest of thumbs (I know I’ve killed quite a few in my time). What’s important is that if you keep trying; eventually, you will find the right plant.

And don’t forget to water it.

 

Photo by Christine Beaudoin

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