On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s day. The event is meant to celebrate the achievements of the Women’s Movement as well as to discuss ways in which women can continue to move towards complete equality in every part of the world and in every part of society.
Although many people feel the war for equality has been won, the reality is that there are still many battles to be fought.
For instance, there are women in many parts of the world who are still subjected to the rules of patriarchy, violence against women is still a widespread and growing issue, and in social, cultural and business contexts many women continue to be judged by their gender and not their skills.
Despite these hurdles, women have come a long way since the Women’s Movement first began in the early 1900s.
In Western society, women are considered equal to men, legally, they have the same rights and freedoms as men and are allowed to participate in all the same endeavors. Socially, however certain stigmas and preconceived notions still exist.
For example, the definition of femininity limits a woman by confining her to the attributes, careers and appearances that are deemed socially acceptable for females. Although many females are breaking boundaries, engaging in jobs once considered strictly for males, there remains the prejudice that they are women doing men’s work.
In the West, women have access to the same educational opportunities as men, but not so in many other parts of the world. Malala Yousafzai is a famous example of girls being banned from going to school.
However, in part due to Yousafzai’s story, the world is waking up to this inequality and attempting to help girls in these parts get an education. Therefore, as a society, we are progressing towards complete equality on an international level by acknowledging that inequality exists in other parts of the world and attempting to fix it.
It is important to recognize the many achievements of women across the world, as well as the barriers that still need to be crossed. International Women’s Day celebrates the accomplishments of women, congratulates them on how far they have come and directs the eye toward the future where further strides in equality can be made.
With the end of the 2013-2014 academic year quickly approaching, The Concordian got together with the CSU executive, who ran under the team name CSYou, to look back at their year and progress.
“My favourite moments have been anytime that my team came together, anytime they produced something valuable for the community. I’ve had a front seat to all of their accomplishments, lucky me!” said CSU President, Melissa Kate Wheeler.
Coming together as a team was a favourite memory and accomplishment for the majority of the executives.
On an executive bonding level VP Internal James Vaccaro fondly looks back to Orientation week to a night where he and VP Finance Scott Carr closed up a Thirsty Thursday’s event at Reggie’s at 4 a.m. and then proceeded to build and clean BBQs for the following day’s Open Air Pub event. Sleeping only 45 minutes, Vaccaro and Carr started off their next morning at CSU’s Free Morning Coffee event.
“Although it was one of the most challenging days of Orientation, and our mandate at that point, I look back and laugh at how ridiculous this job can be sometimes, and the random things you need to be ready to do in order to get the job done,” said Vaccaro.
On a community level the CSYou encouraged and brought forth a lot of awareness concerning Concordia’s potential for sustainability.
Constantly at the forefront to promote ethical and sustainable change at Concordia is VP Sustainability Ben Prunty.
Prunty said his favourite accomplishment has been the Concordia Transitions event,
“The entire process was rewarding for me, and I think I can say the same for everyone involved. From having an extremely solid group of volunteer students organizing it beside me from day one, to the excitement from students who got involved later in the process, and finally, all the smiling faces at the conference itself.”
The CSYou also takes pride in the efforts they made to bring different faculties of students together. VP Student Life Katrina Caruso said that the only thing she would do differently is to encourage even more student faculty collaborations for various events.
“I know that the CSU has created a stronger bond between the faculty associations this year, and I am very happy that I made this a priority,” said Caruso.
“This was a large priority for me this year as VP Internal, because I really do feel that as students, we have much more to gain by coming together than we do by dividing ourselves across faculty lines,” said Vaccaro.
The entire executive team was in agreement when stating that they had learnt a lot about time management, themselves and accepting that things do not always play out the way they had hoped or worked extremely hard for.
“I have had to learn to say no and take a step back when it is due. I have vastly lowered my expectations of situations because nothing ever pans out the way you planned it in your head. I have learned how difficult it is to manage people and I have learned a lot about myself in the process,” said Caruso.
Although the year has had its ups and downs the executives still feel strongly that being part of the CSU has enhanced both their work experience and their time at Concordia.
“In terms of work experience, CSU has given me an incredible amount of skills and confidence I didn’t have before,” said Harrison.
VP Academic Gene Morrow explains that being part of Senate and the CSU gave him an understanding of university politics and life he could have never gained my merely going to class.
“I’ve had the opportunity to learn more than I ever thought I could about how a modern university operates, and all the work that students never really see that goes into this behemoth we call Concordia,” said Morrow.
Often the voice of contradiction, VP Finance Scott Carr explains how he has learnt a great deal when it comes to embracing the ability to see different perspectives and use tact when delivering his own.
“The CSU is an experience that will take you on a personal journey as much as a professional one. Coming into the CSU with a fair amount of previous experience allowed me to truly refine certain technical skills. But it is truly my soft skills that have developed to make me a better manager and leader,”said Carr.
Despite some challenges and conflict of opinions that have formed between fellow executives, VP External Caroline Bourbonniere believes that their disagreements were at times unfortunate but at other times beneficial.
“When we chose to run together, we were aware of our differences and took a leap of faith. Our disagreements are unfortunate but they only stem from our passion for our visions and our jobs,” explained Bourbonniere.
Wheeler encourages all students to take a chance and get involved in student associations, not exclusively to the CSU.
“Being an executive on the CSU will change you. It’ll mess with your sense of self and challenge you in ways you’re not ready for. If you survive, you’ll come out the other side strong, confident, and with a clear vision of what you want your life to be for. That sounds intense, but it’s true. If you empty yourself into it, it’ll fill you back up,”said Wheeler.
The city will be holding the 17th annual Montreal International Children’s Film Festival until March. 9. This festival encourages excellence in filmmaking and promotes the best of children’s cinema worldwide in order to foster a creative frame of thinking and a critical eye for a younger generation.
We asked you what film inspired you as a child, which one helped shape you and which one is your favourite.
Princess Mononoke
I am about eight years old, Christmas is around the corner and my brother and I are watching Tele-Quebec’s special holidayprogramming. The lady’s voice announces to us that we are now going to watch a darn princess movie — probably one of those girly Disney films that our sister is so fond of. Then, the movie starts and I rapidly realize not only that this is definitely not one of those boring princess stories, but also that this is probably the most epic and awesome movie I have seen in my entire life. During the hour and a half that followed, my brother and I screamed out of excitement and surprise, shared the profound pain of the kind yet doomed young prince and cried out from rage and despair while looking at the destruction of nature by the hands of greedy humans.
More importantly, I fell in love with the fearless Princess Mononoke. Ever since this marvelous abnormality that clashed so fantastically with the naivety typical of the usual children’s films that have entered my life, there has been very few holidays that did not involve an enchanting rendezvous with my favourite princess. You can all keep your apple-eating, shoe-losing, sing-songy princesses — mine has been raised by giant wolves, and that is only one of many things that makes her the best!
-Frédéric T. Muckle
Home Alone
As a child, didn’t you fantasize about staying up all night long to watch action-packed movies while eating ice cream in your parents’ bed? Home Alone gave us the opportunity to live that dream in a more thrilling way with the main character, Kevin, portrayed by Macaulay Culkin. This 8-year-old boy is accidentally left all alone at home by his parents. Besides fully enjoying this experience, he also proves that he can be responsible, by taking care of the house in a more than unusual manner.
Most of the film concentrates on the ingenious traps that Kevin fashions to get rid of the two burglars trying to invade his personal space. While in this particular situation, most children his age would probably panic and cry, but this little boy finds a fun way to solve his problems. Following Kevin’s approach would be almost impossible in real life, but this movie incites the audience’s imagination and invites us to consider that not making a mountain out of a molehill can bring an unexpected denouement. Being a child, I loved watching, year after year, the well-known blonde kid—the protagonist of a suspenseful plot emphasized by surprising special-effects and talented actors of one of the most appreciated children’s movies of the ‘90s.
-Cristiana Iulia Ilea
Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back
Having been immersed in both Eastern and Western cinema, choosing one ultimate film from a plethora of films is a painful decision to make. However, there is one that strikes a chord and induces a sense of nostalgia, where I enjoyed and cherished the moments watching that movie with people who were close and dear to me. After all, isn’t that what an awesome movie experience is supposed to be?
It was Pokémon. Yes, I am that much of a fan when it comes to this multimedia video game franchise conceived by Satoshi Tajiri. People who know me personally are well aware how much I geek out over these cute, powerful little creatures. I guess there is something really exciting in this film that me and my cousins enjoyed when we first watched it together back in 1999.
Just like the group of young trainers going on an adventure, this movie was in itself a personal cinematic quest — including good times and bad.
We had the colorful holographic trading cards, the moment when Ash Ketchum rescues a fainted Pikachu from the wraths of the villain-possessed Mewtwo and on top of that, who could even forget M2M’s sweet and sappy rock ballad, “Don’t say you love me”?
You may judge me, but please don’t. Pokémon was my favourite movie as a child.
-Saturn de Los Angeles
The Land Before Time
When I told my friends I wanted to have a nostalgia-themed movie night and watch The Land Before Time, I was surprised to see just how excited they were to revisit this childhood gem. Seems that anyone who grew up in the ‘90s has fond memories of Littlefoot, Ducky and all the rest of the prehistoric pre-pubescent creatures on their perilous adventure to find the Great Valley.
The reactions I got from my friends (both in the latter half of their 20’s) when re-watching this film as adults, sums it all up:
“That’s Cera. She’s such a bitch,” spewed the 26-year-old marketing executive — hateful venom in her eyes, when the triceratops character first appears.
“This movie is so sad!” wept the 29-year-old pharmacist, hiding her face in her hoodie, while Littlefoot’s mother lay dying in the rain.
Don’t let the cutesy cartoon dinosaurs and their childish names deceive you. This is a movie with a dark streak — a movie about the greatest fears that plague us all.
It is these universal, powerful fears that make this a profound experience for children and adults alike: fear of losing your loved ones, fear of braving the great unknown, fear of those that are different, and ultimately, fear that the path you’ve chosen may lead you not to a lush evergreen valley, but to a fiery volcano. On this dark and fearful journey who better to keep us company than a cast of characters that are funny, colourful and unique. It is their optimism and bravery that guides us through the bleakness, showing us in the end that courage and friendship can truly conquer all.
Does The Land Before Time stand the test of time? In the words of Ducky, “Yup yup yup!”
-Tomer Shavit
Toy Story
One of my earliest memories is of exploring my grandfather’s substantial VHS collection—drawers upon drawers of films, recordings
and songs. Surely more than enough to last you a lifetime, but I didn’t need most of them — I had Toy Story. To think of it, that was possibly the first movie I ever saw.
It came out in 1995, one year after my birth, so I must have been about three when I first fell under its spell. Back then, I spoke not a single word of English; needless to say, the film’s existential themes, the witty dialogue, the amazing voice-acting, all flew right over my head.
I was genuinely shocked, having rewatched the animated classic for the first time in over 10 years, to discover it only ran 81 minutes. How could that be? It used to feel as if a whole day — or all of eternity — had gone by from the moment Buzz Lightyear made his exuberant entrance to the end credits filled with bloopers that made you believe the film was made not on computers but with traditional cameras.
Yes, this is one of my favourite films. Its characters have never left my mind — I still have a life-size Woody toy — and to see the third movie, arguably the best of the series, on the big screen was an experience to behold.
In this digital age, as we are so often re- minded, we communicate less and less verbally. It has become common for people to communicate in written form, be it through text message, email or instant messaging.
However, this is not only a social phenomenon but a business one as well. When applying for a job, in most cases, the employer’s first impression of you is through your cover letter and résumé. How you communicate in writing is integral to obtaining the next step in the hiring process.
Furthermore, many business communiqués take place through email or other written correspondence. In sum, writing is an essential part of both our social lives and our business lives and if we want to excel in either area, it’s important to excel at writing. And there’s no better way to improve written communication than through journalism.
Print and online journalism strives to disseminate information to readers. This information can be local, national or inter- national news; theatre, book, restaurant, food or music review; fashion, culture or human-interest narrative, opinion, game reporting and much more. In essence, no matter the subject, print journalists inform through writing.
In order to be successful at this job, journalists must write clearly and concisely: skills which are also required when writing in a social or business milieu.
Concordia’s two independent newspapers will be looking for new staff for the 2014-2015 publishing year. The Link will be holding elections for it’s editorial board while The Concordian is accepting applications for its hiring process.
Whether or not you are a journalism student, working with one of the university’s newspapers is an excellent opportunity to sharpen your writing skills for real life applications.
Not only do writers get practice with written communication but they learn how to gather information through interviews and research and then disseminate that in- formation through structured writing.
Editors have the opportunity to gain leadership and management skills as they are responsible for providing writers with guidance and managing the articles and media in their sections. Additionally, communication with writers is usually done through email and is therefore an excellent opportunity for individuals to practice relaying instructions in written form.
As a writer or editor at a newspaper, whether you are communicating with staff members or writing an article, it is essential to take the tone of one’s writing into account. Very often in social communication we forget that the words we choose and the way we phrase our words convey a tone of voice. If we’re not careful our words can convey the wrong impression to the reader. This is another skill that writers and editors will get to exercise.
It may be redundant to say, but university is all about learning. Outside of the classroom, the university environment provides many opportunities for learning and practicing skills and the student newspapers are one such setting.
Whether or not you have any interest in pursuing a job as a writing professional you can only benefit from writing for a student newspaper. In any discipline, having “writer” as a credit on your résumé is an asset that comes with a skill set that will last you the rest of your life.
Whatever your area of interest, whatever your level of experience, consider applying to write or edit for The Concordian or The Link. You won’t regret it.
For more information on how to get involved or apply at The Concordian contact editor@theconcordian and see our hiring ad in this issue and online.
Editors at The Concordian are responsible for pitching stories on a weekly basis that are relevant and interesting to Concordia students and editing story submissions according to section criteria and Canadian Press Style standards. In addition, editors are asked to assist writers in producing their best work, encourage writers to pitch story ideas, as well as participate in weekly story and production meetings.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the production of the paper on a weekly basis. Responsibilities include managing section editors, copy and content editing, establishing and maintaining deadline schedules and ensuring that the overall presentation of the paper meets journalistic standards of publication.
PRODUCTION MANAGER
The Production Manager is responsible for the visual presentation of articles and images as produced by The Concordian. Each week, the Production Manager orders pages from the printer and lays out how articles will appear on the page. Experience using InDesign is essential.
NEWS EDITOR
The News section covers news that is relevant to Concordia students. This includes but is not limited to: Concordia events, politics, student activities, and local or national news that is relevant to Concordia students.
LIFE EDITOR
The Life section contains stories designated as “features.” Topics in the Life section include but are not limited to: personal narratives, health, fitness, beauty, fashion, extracurricular activities, trends and relationships.
ARTS EDITOR
The Arts section covers all events and topics that fall into the ‘art’ category, such as, visual art, theatre, improv, dance, literature and film.
MUSIC EDITOR
The Music section is responsible for covering artists and bands that are of interest to Concordia students.
SPORTS EDITOR
The Sports section covers all sporting events at Concordia.
OPINIONS EDITOR
The Opinions section allows student writers the opportunity to provide a compelling and thought-provoking arguments on topics of interest.
PHOTO EDITOR
The photo editor is responsible for all photographic media used in the paper. They will take photos as requested by editors as well as give out photo assignments to photographers.
GRAPHICS EDITOR
The graphics editor is responsible for creating the graphic art material used in the paper. They will be asked by editors to illustrate stories for their section.
COPY EDITOR(S)
Copy editors are responsible for ensuring that all articles are written according to Canadian Press Style and Canadian English grammar standards.
ONLINE EDITOR
The Online editor is in charge of uploading all articles to our website, in addition to using Twitter, Facebook, and other social media to interact with our readers. This person hired for this position must be able to effectively communicate with the other editors via e-mail. Experience using WordPress, and knowledge of HTML is preferred but not required.
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
Production assistants help the production manager to layout the newspaper each week with InDesign.
Submit your cover letter, CV and up to three samples of your work to applications@theconcordian.comno later than March 16.
To apply you must be a registered student for 2014-2015.
You’re both ready to start making moves, but can’t seem to take that last step. Let R. Kelly make that giant leap with you, and release yourself from that cramped closet of unexpressed emotion.
2. “Let’s Get It On” – Marvin Gaye
It wouldn’t be a romantic song list without this winner of a tune. Though it is a bit blatant, it clears up any illusions that might have been surrounding the evening affair. Getting to the point is an admirable tactic in the game of romance, and this banger will most definitely let your honey know you’re ready to “get it on.”
3. “I’m In It” – Kanye West
Now that things have started to heat up for real, it’s time to put down the crooning for a second. You should welcome Yeezus’ “I’m In It” into the bedroom because Kanye is great and you just shouldn’t argue. This tune not only encourages paying attention to your partner through the powering down of personal electronics, but also gives some interesting sexual advice with great sound effects.
4. “The Way I Are” – Timbaland
Now that you’ve turned off your iPhone and turned up the tempo, it’s time to get a little kinky and go back to 2007. If you’ve ever memorized a strip-tease routine, this is when you would start performing it. This is also when you would don your leather catsuit and pull out your weird collection of toys you ordered off the internet. But, as the song goes, they should be ready to handle you the way you are by now, right? Right. Go get ‘em.
5. “Diced Pineapples” – Rick Ross
Now that you’re both pretty much ready for anything at this point, just throw caution to the wind and play some Rick Ross. This is where you would mouth along with the lyrics and look right into your lover’s eyes and tell them you’re not into intimate conversation but you really want to get deep like Jules Verne.
6. “Play” – David Banner
At this point, everyone should be naked. This is the kind of song that has the potential to turn things up to 11, so embrace it. You are David Banner. You are in a strip club. Work it ‘til you drip sweat. Except don’t take all of his advice and actually break your bed, because that would be uncomfortable for every other day of the year.
7. “Rooster In My Rari” – Waka Flocka Flame
You’ve reached the point at which you are beginning to wish you had actually gone to the gym for more than two days in January. You’re panting and wheezing and you just can’t seem to get comfortable anymore. All parties involved are coated in sweat (thanks, David Banner). Your roommates have turned their stereos all the way up and the neighbours are banging on the wall. This is a critical moment. Do you stop? NO! You listen to Waka Flocka.
8. “Saviour” – Yung Lean
Now that you’re both getting pretty tired from flocka-ing, it’s time to take a little breather with our friend, Yung Lean. This is the point in the evening where you are almost ready to pass out but are carrying on anyway. These few minutes are crucial in the maintenance of your sexual prowess — so take a little break to rejuvenate.
9. “Bubble Butt” – Major Lazer
They say the last lap of the race is the most important. This is where you break the record, push past all of your competitors and show the world you got a bubble butt. Let Tyga’s verse empower you and your booty to rocket through the finish line in all of its glory.
From Feb. 17 to Feb.21, classes at Concordia are suspended for a recess called ‘reading week.’ At some institutions reading week is known as spring break, a time when students get a break from their hectic schedules. Here, at Concordia, however, we want no confusion: reading week is not a vacation.
The purpose of reading week is inherent in the title, it’s time to read, or in other words, study, write essays, and watch Americans go topless on TV, while you recite the periodic table. The expectation is that students will use this week off from classes to do coursework and assignments, not go on vacation.
Admittedly, you have more time to do these things without having to go to class, but why are we given this time to study in the spring but not in the fall?
At Queen’s University, for example, they have a ‘fall term pre-examination study period’ that usually takes place from the end of November to early December. At Ottawa University, they have a fall reading week at the end of October.
Which begs the question, what is the point of reading week? If the university thinks we need more study time then why not give us a fall reading week? If the university thinks students need a chance to recuperate before tackling the second part of the winter semester then why do teachers assign work that is to be handed in when classes resume? Why do most midterms follow closely on the heels of reading week?
It seems completely illogical to have a reading week in the winter but not in the fall when both semester are the same length. Furthermore, why can’t students at Concordia have a spring break? Other schools do it, how else would you explain the overcrowded Florida beaches? Those fraternity boys are definitely holding beer cans, not textbooks.
If Concordia wants to give students a break from classes so they can catch up on coursework and assignments then they need to be consistent and give students a reading week in the fall as well. If, however, Concordia wants to give its students a much-deserved break, then they need to instruct professors to push back assignment due dates and midterms until at least a week after reading week.
Runner up of American Idol season two, Clay Aiken, announced last week that he would be running for Congress, reports CBC. A Raleigh, N.C. native, Aiken hopes to win his hometown constituency under the Democratic Party. The position is currently held by Republican Congresswoman Renee Ellmers who questioned Aiken’s qualifications. Ellmers is quoted as saying in a interview on WMAL Radio that “his performing career is not going so well and he’s very bored.” On his official campaign announcement video, Aiken explained that he is “not a politician — I don’t ever want to be one — but I do want to help bring back, at least to my corner of North Carolina, the idea that someone can go to Washington to represent all the people whether they voted for you or not.” Aiken will compete in the Democratic primary later this May.
The American version of the singing competition has been cancelled, according to Reuters. Simon Cowell, the X Factor’s creator and judge, is reportedly going back to the U.K. edition of the show “in an effort to help declining ratings there,” reports Reuters. Cowell was previously a judge on American Idol, but left the show after the 10th installment in 2010. Rock legend Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and pop icon Jennifer Lopez replaced Cowell after his departure from the competition.
When The Beatles first landed in America 50 years ago, the lads from Liverpool performed what was to become one of the most important televised musical events in history. John, Paul, George and Ringo performed for the first time for 73 million viewers on The Ed Sullivan Show on Feb. 9, 1964. NME reports that during their visit, the Fab Four signed part of a stage set, along with other musical guests from the evening. The autographed wall will be up for auction in April in New York, and is set to sell for up to $1 million, reports AP.
A recent study conducted among undergraduate students at the University of Missouri concluded that in the first month following a break up, one third of participants had engaged in a sexual relationship with a new partner.
In other words, folks in Missouri have loosened their collars and acknowledged the existence of what we fondly refer to as ‘rebound’ or ‘revenge’ sex. And let me tell you, it’s about time.
Rebound sex is a spectacular, empowering and cathartic experience that should be outrightly acknowledged and discussed. It is a far more prevalent, and positive experience than people seem to think.
Unfortunately, the brains behind the study referred to these self-executed ‘slut phases’ as forms of maladaptive behaviour. It’s a common belief that engaging in rebound sex is a bad, self-destructive habit, driven by anger and a need for validation when in a vulnerable state. I mean, that is conceivably the case when you’re coming out of endless months of those “it’s not you, it’s me” speeches, but rebound sex is not necessarily driven by the need to fill an emotional void.
The generalization about rebound sex being mostly for women exists, no doubt. People have this preconceived notion that newly single women are driven solely by venom, bitterness and a need to unload their emotional baggage on an unsuspecting partner.
For all intents and purposes, I’m not going to disclose whether I am a man or a woman. The fact is irrelevant. Physical need extends to all demographics of people, regardless of their gender, social/sexual status, or romantic circumstance.
Having sex with someone purely for revenge is like poisoning yourself — it’s ineffective and can be harmful in the long run. However, channelling residual anger into a need for physical release is understandable. Sex releases endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. Think of sex as a salve for the raw wounds of a break up. I’m not saying it’s a solution, per se, but it is a step forward into independence. It is a way to distance yourself from the negativity of a bad relationship, move forward, and gain back some sense of empowerment.
Yes, I am fresh out of a long term relationship, and yes, I am having what would be considered rebound sex. And in case you were wondering, I am currently enjoying the hell out of it.
After being weighed down for so long by an emotionally toxic partner, I am entitled to have a little fun. Though my initial reservations were related to outward judgement and the lack of logic in the situation, I’ve come to realize that I can exercise my right to no-strings attached sexual pleasure whenever I see fit. If I want to shed my inhibitions and experiment, so be it. If I want to sit in class and know that there are bite marks on my chest, that’s only for me to know.
I personally think that it’s a good experience to take a step out of your comfort zone and deviate from your ‘normal’ (and possibly redundant) social interactions. However, non-committal sex is not for everyone. Whatever extra-curricular activities you engage in, make sure they are consensual and mutual. You don’t want to be the cause of someone else’s broken heart, because then the cycle just perpetuates itself.
In the end, if it makes you feel good, do it. Don’t worry about the right or wrong way to move past a relationship. Don’t worry about judgement, just do you.
And if the only thing you want to do on your back is drink from the bottle and watch bad movies, then so be it.
Most people cringe at the thought of winter. The cold and the snow just doesn’t seem to sit well with most; especially in a city like Montreal. Despite the harsh times that hit Quebec, more than 10, 000 people each weekend filled the streets of the Old Port throughout the months of January and February to celebrate the beautiful winter wonderland known as Igloofest.
Photo by Keith Race
Igloofest is a winter festival that spans over the course of four weekends, where they play various types of electronic dance music. According to Billboard, 85 000 people attended this year’s event; a record breaking number for the organizers.
Igloofest started in the winter of 2007 as a one-weekend gig, and has grown to a four-weekend event due to the large demand for winter partying. This event has put Montreal on the global map for the first ever winter EDM festival, according to Billboard.
In the past, there have been a series of up-and-coming DJs that have had the pleasure of spinning at the main stage, such as Diplo, Lunice, Caspa, Pan-Pot, TNGHT, and many more. This year’s lineup was actually quite versatile, with acts from RL Grime, Adam Beyer, and Foreign Beggars. The musical vibe at the main stage set a hip-hop and trap influenced environment, whereas on the smaller stage, tech house and deep house, which is a more danceable genre, was mostly played.
What makes Igloofest so unique is that some people come for the music, while others come strictly for the party and the experience.
“Fifty percent of the crowd is not here for electronic music,” said Michel Quintal in an interview with Billboard.
Quintal is the Director of Programming and Sponsorships of the festival, as well as one of the event’s co-founders.
“They’re here for the experience, the fun, the party. Our job is to find those creative, interesting, artistic DJs who can also please those people too,” he added.
There is certainly an Igloofest culture that has emerged since the event’s inception. Because this event is found in such a cold climate, everyone absolutely needs to dress up and get prepared for partying in the snow. People love to come dressed in the most ridiculous outfits and wear vibrant colors to stand out. There are even competitions for the most ridiculous outfit inside the festival.
The interesting thing about the music being played at Igloofest is that it must be genre restrictive. When people are partying in sub zero temperatures, they need to be moving constantly to avoid getting cold. For this reason, upbeat music with high BPM needs to be played to keep the crowd going. This final weekend truly portrayed this with energetic sets. The final few days of the festival included stellar sets from Montreal based Djs Shash’U and Mayssam, and New Jersey native Justin Smith, better known by his stage name Just Blaze.
The main dance floor was filled with thousands of people jumping around in this 8th installment of the festival with temperatures dropping to -20 degrees on some nights. Some people were even crowd surfing proudly along the front of the stage. Then, when you needed a break, you could simply head over to the fire pits for marshmallows and hot chocolate. Or grab a Sapporo or Jager bombs at one of the multiple bars? That was the beauty of Igloofest; there was always some kind of activity that suited everyone’s needs.
Igloofest 2014 is now sadly completed; with over 85,000 satisfied customers, a record for this event. The Old Port will now be a little bit quieter until summer time kicks back in. Hopefully, next year’s event will be just as mesmerizing.
There’s nothing quite like the screech of a chair being slid across the floor in the library building cafeteria. The metal chair leg connecting with the concrete tile is a sound that can be likened to fingernails on a chalkboard, only infinitely louder because of the close confines in which diners find themselves.
The cafeteria in the library building is one of the least welcoming places to eat. The dining area is small, the tables are wobbly, the chairs not only screech when moved but are hard and uncomfortable to sit on. Furthermore, the proximity of diners to the bathrooms is less than appetizing.
In the Hall building there are more options for places to eat, but they aren’t anymore welcoming. Java-U requires that you buy one of its over-priced sandwiches or beverages to sit in its comfortable dining area. The Zest Dining Hall on the seventh floor of the Hall building also requires you to buy from them if you want to eat in its dining space.
If you brought your food from home you can sit in the cafe on the fourth floor of the Hall building, where the tables are small and seating is cramped. You could try to get a seat in one of the booths, also on the fourth floor, but they are usually taken.
If you want, the seventh floor offers plenty of tables, chairs and couches from which to eat on. Unfortunately, if you can’t grab a proper table and chair you will be forced to eat from either your lap while sitting on a couch or armchair, or else by bending over the low tables that resemble the ones found in living rooms.
The Loyola campus provides even less comfortable dining space. If you’re not in the cafeteria, where it’s noisy and the chairs are plastic, you have to go searching for a random and sparingly placed table or chair, although you can’t always find both together. There is usually a cluster of tables and chairs around the cafés, but seating is limited and again not very comfortable.
The best place to eat at either campus is arguably the G-lounge which provides plenty of tables and chairs and a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy one’s food. Furthermore, said food doesn’t have to have been purchased from the G-lounge in order to dine there.
Other than the G-lounge, most of the dining areas provided by Concordia invite scarfing down one’s food as quickly as possible, rather than taking a much needed break and enjoying one’s food.
A typical student has a jam-packed day and good nutrition is an important part of being able to keep up with a busy schedule. Better, more comfortable dining spaces would provide students with the opportunity to pause, relax and enjoy their food, rather than rushing to eat because seating is limited, it’s crowded and they’re sitting somewhere unpleasant.
In light of the fact that the CSU and Concordia are both looking to overhaul the food offered on campus, they should also consider overhauling the dining areas.
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