Tag: life

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Student Life

Concordians jet-off over the winter break

Traditional Houses on Spiegelgracht near the Rijksmuseum. Photo by Elisa Barbier

Concordians share their holiday travel experiences and tips

Mexico
by Léandre Larouche

This Christmas, I wanted to celebrate the holiday differently—and different it was.  A friend I met in Montreal last summer invited me to spend some time with her and her family in Mexico, so I decided to go.

Guanajuato city. Photo by Léandre Larouche.

Our first stop was my friend’s place in Xochimilco, one of Mexico City’s 16 boroughs. I arrived on Dec. 22 and so many family reunions were on the agenda.

In Mexico City, my favourite attraction was the sightseeing from the mirador in the Torre Latinoamericana. This monument used to be Mexico’s largest skyscraper at the time of its completion in 1956. The Plaza de la Constitución and the Monumento de la Revolución are also worth a visit.  I walked 20 de Noviembre Street, a street which commemorates the beginning of the Mexican Revolution.

Although I also visited the del Sol y de la Luna pyramids in the State of Mexico, the highlight of my trip was definitely visiting the city of Guanajuato. About four hours away from the country’s federal capital, this European-like city is charming at first sight. On top of having an astonishing landscape, there is an abundance of cafés, restaurants and bars along the charming, narrow streets. At night, the city livens up even more, with traditional music sung all around the city. My personal must-sees are the Café Tal, Santo Café and the Monumento al Pípila, which honours the eponymous insurgent of the Mexican Revolution.

The State of Veracruz was also worth the detour. Jalapa and Coatepec are fun for a day or two. I visited the beach one in Chachalacas, which is a more underrated beach, in Veracruz. It could still be worth a visit if you prefer a less touristic experience.

My advice for traveling to Mexico is to learn a bit of Spanish before jetting off, and to get to know the locals while you’re there. The country is so much more than its all-inclusive resorts. People are truly welcoming people and, unless you get labelled a gringo for not speaking a word of Spanish, they’re likely to become your friends and show you around.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
by Elisa Barbier

Flowers and bike by a house entrance along one of the city’s main canal: the Keizersgracht. Photo by Elisa Barbier

Amsterdam lives up to its reputation of offering tourists with different budgets, incredible scenery and experiences.

The city centre is laid out as an amphitheatre looking onto what used to be Amsterdam’s port.  This part of the city can be visited thoroughly in three days. You should factor in a little more time if you intend on visiting museums such as the Van Gogh Museum, which possesses an incredible collection, and the Rijksmuseum embodies Dutch art at its finest. The Anne Frank House is also a great stop, but be sure to reserve tickets online to avoid long lineups for this one.

There is no need for a transit pass in Amsterdam. Sightseeing can be done by walking in between the canals and small streets that are proper to old European cities.

Students can find many affordable hostels in the centre of the city surrounded by pubs and cheap restaurants. One of Amsterdam’s fun experiences is Febo—a fast-food restaurant that serves traditional Dutch snacks to clients via automats. Another surprising singularity, my personal favourite, are the many snack bars that serve tasty waffles topped with fruits or sweets.

The city is also known for its many cafés and the red-light district. Among the 200 cafés in Amsterdam, the Greenhouse Centrum is a must.

If I have the chance to go back, I will spend more time cycling around. It was a great experience but be aware that biking on European roads is quite the adventure. Moreover, the windmills and tulips fields in the countryside would be on my to-do list.

Paris, France
by Elisa Barbier

Photo by Elisa Barbier

The city of lights is a giant maze filled with endless entertainment for tourists and inhabitants alike.

Paris’ most notable spots are spread out between the first and ninth boroughs. Considering a week is needed to properly visit the city, a weekly transit pass is the best option for moving through the city with ease.

When it comes to museums, the Louvre is a must. However, it takes a full day to visit.  It is best to arrive early in the morning. The Orsay Museum, Branly and Beaubourg also have interesting collections, from classic French paintings to modern art.

It goes without saying the Eiffel Tower, the Arc-de-Triomphe, the Sacré-Coeur, the Garnier Opera, the Bastille or the Notre-Dame Cathedral are must-sees. However, the Great Mosque of Paris, whose tea is a treasure, city hall and the Luxembourg Gardens are also great places to explore, and they can sometimes be forgotten.

Paris’ oldest bridge, Pont Neuf with the Eiffel Tower and the dome of the French Institute in the background. Photo by Elisa Barbier

The city of love is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. Therefore, small restaurants outside of touristic sites  will be cheaper and are worth the commute. The price of coffee will also change depending on the location. Brasseries are a good way to experience cheap French cuisine for lunch.

For a true Parisian experience, eat at Mexi&Co at 7:30 p.m., then buy some cheap wine or beer from a grocery store and enjoy it in the Vert-Galant Square while watching boats go by. Bar hopping in the Marais or 11th borough are also good options.

As a resident, nothing makes me enjoy the city more than taking a walk along the Seine at dusk. Bubble teas to accompany a shopping day at the Defense or Les Halles is also a good way to enjoy a rainy day.

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Student Life

Exploring the healthy side with Fardad

Graphic by Florence Yee

The science behind drug addiction, and how drugs affect the body

It’s said we are creatures of habit. Sometimes though, those habits can turn into addictions. In this edition of The Healthy Side, we are going to explore drug addiction and its real effects on the body.

Drug addiction is an organic disease of the body. Using addictive substances literally changes the brain’s chemistry, leading to a strong physical dependency on them.

The brain is a very complex organ, made up of billions of cells called neurons. The connections between these neurons is what enables us to think, move, feel, act and essentially process every conscious and unconscious intake of environmental stimuli and respond accordingly.

You may have heard that there is electrical current in the brain.

A neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory—that is, it may contribute to exciting the next neuron or inhibiting its excitation. For our purposes, we are going to talk about a well-known excitatory neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine, along with a few other neurotransmitters, is responsible for making you feel good.

Once dopamine is released via transporters in the producing cell, called the presynaptic cell, it temporarily latches on to the receptors on the surface of its target, called the postsynaptic cell, and causes further actions to occur in that cell.

The dopamine itself is not taken in by the target cell—its binding is temporary and after a short period it is detached and taken back into the presynaptic cell.

Substances can affect and alter this natural pathway in three broad ways:

  1. Overproduction of dopamine: the opioid family of substances such as heroin and fentanyl stimulate VTA to over-produce dopamine. This rush of abnormally large amounts of dopamine hits the user with a sudden and very strong feeling of euphoria.  An unfortunate side-effect of opioids is slowing down breathing. This can be particularly dangerous if mixed with other substances that also slow down the body such as alcohol, anti-anxiety medications and other opioids. Current statistics indicate every 19 minutes, someone dies from accidental prescription drug overdose (most of them containing opioids).
  2. Blockage of the transporters: drugs such as cocaine quickly enter the brain and bind to the transporters on the presynaptic cell, blocking dopamine from being taken back inside. This accumulates large amounts of dopamine in the space between these cells (called the synaptic cleft) and for longer. Constant presence of larger than normal levels of dopamine in the cleft causes the postsynaptic cell to be hyper-activated, leading to a prolonged feeling of euphoria. This establishes a powerful link between this feeling and the drug – which makes the user want to use it again.
  3. Stimulation and blockage: amphetamine family of drugs behave both like opioids and cocaine. In lower dosage, meth acts like cocaine in blocking the uptake of dopamine back to the presynaptic cell. In higher doses, in addition to the blocking effect, meth stimulates the presynaptic cell to release even more dopamine. Because of this dual effect, the accumulation of dopamine in the synaptic cleft becomes extreme, leading to dangerously high hyper-activation of the postsynaptic cell. This results in an extreme feeling of euphoria making meth incredibly addictive.

Drugs alter how the reward centre communicates with the rest of the brain: affecting emotions, movement, reasoning and decision making. Repeated use of these drugs makes changes to the chemistry of the brain, which eventually prevents the user from experiencing the same euphoria when first using the drug: the user builds tolerance toward the substance.

Fardad is a science student here at Concordia. He wants to share his research and learning about the science field with the Concordia community.

Graphic by Florence Yee

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Student Life

A silver lining for Montreal’s winter-haters

Check out these five January events to combat the post-holiday blues

Barbegazi Festival
Jan. 6 to 8 and Jan. 13 to 15

Barbegazi is a winter sport festival that takes place every year at the Îlot Clark of Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles. The best part about this year’s festival is that it’s free for all in honour of Montreal’s 375th birthday. Activities include snow-skating, fat-biking and winter obstacle courses and challenges. This festival is perfect for all of those winter-sport lovers out there.

Igloofest
Every weekend from Jan. 12 to Feb. 19

Going into its 11th year, Igloofest is a popular outdoor music festival that takes place in Montreal’s Old Port. The winter festival goes all out with icy décor, a giant playground and, of course, electronic music. Many international DJs will be attending the events, including Apparat, Deadlift and Carl Cox. This year, Igloofest is extending its stay for six weekends in honour of Montreal’s birthday. The online price for a regular pass ranges from $15 to $22, depending on whether the purchase is for Thursday, Friday or Saturday events. The festival also sells Igloopasses, which include access to 12 evenings. The online price for an Igloopass is $120.

 

Fête des neiges
Every weekend from Jan. 14 to Feb. 5

Montreal’s Fête des neiges is a family-oriented winter event that aims to help Montrealers enjoy winter a little more. Fête des neiges is located at Parc Jean-Drapeau. Some of the activities include a tube slide, ice ship and zip-lining. There will also be fast-food concession stands and warming areas. An Accropase will give you unlimited access to the main activities during eight days of the festival, and costs $16 online, or $50 for a package deal. Some other benefits of this membership pass is a discount on various restaurants and free membership to the Stewart Museum and Environment Museum during the weeks of Fête des neiges.

Winter Clubs Fair
Jan. 17

The new year, new you kind of craze can also mean that you want to get more involved in university life. Concordia’s clubs fair is the perfect way to get another shot at checking out what’s happening on campus.  The Winter Clubs Fair is part of Concordia’s Student Union 2017 Kick-Off week. The event will be held between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on the seventh floor of the Hall building. Some of Concordia’s clubs include the African Students Association of Concordia, Best Buddies, Artopia, CARA, Cupcakes for a Cause, Muslim Student Associate our own newspaper, The Concordian, and so much more. There might be a unique club that is just right for you.

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Student Life

Bilingualism on the rise

Graphic by Florence Yee

Organization Women on the Rise hosted a bazaar which aims to promote bilingualism in children

Women on the Rise held a Christmas bazaar to raise awareness and funds for their children’s programs that promote bilingualism at an early age on Nov. 26.

Women on the Rise was formed in the early 1990s and has since become an organization that empowers single mothers to return to school and the workforce while also preparing their children for early education, said executive director of Women on the Rise, Grace Campbell.

The organization offers several programs, including an early education program for children and a parenting program for mothers. “We see the community for what it is… and we also see the need. We realized we need more,” said Campbell. The money raised at the bazaar will go mainly to the early education program, which promotes bilingualism in children by teaching children to embrace their native language.

“We need the bazaar to really help our programs to improve and recognize that we’re doing more,” said Campbell. In the past, Women on the Rise has organized spaghetti suppers, pancake breakfasts and garage sales, but this was the first time they hosted a bazaar.

Many of the children who benefit from Women on the Rise’s early education program are from newly immigrated families, said Campbell. The children were born in Canada, but their parents are from other countries.

According to Campbell, Women on the Rise is looking to help new immigrant families with children between the ages of zero to five, otherwise known as the “sponge age.” During this time, children absorb a lot of information and the organization is looking to improve their language skills.

“The benefits of bilingualism are linked to children’s immediate personal lives but also linked to schooling, socioemotional development and globalization,” said Fred Genesee, a professor emeritus in McGill’s psychology department.

In Genesee’s article “At-risk Learners and Bilingualism: Is It a Good Idea?” he compares some of the advantages of raising and educating children bilingually. He found that “immigrant adolescents whose ethnic identities integrate and embrace both majority and minority cultures tend: to be more involved with both the majority and minority culture and to show higher levels of psychological and sociological adaptation.”

However, immigrant children who only speak the majority language and have little to no involvement with their ethnic group exhibit lower levels of adaption, according to the same article. This is similarly seen in those who isolate themselves from the majority culture by limiting their relationships to those within their ethnic peer groups.

“If community organizations like Women on the Rise get involved with having parents feel proud of who they are and proud of where they’re from, and have them transcend that to their child, then the child will feel and embrace the fact,” Campbell said. Their child education program is looking to not only teach language and culture, but also to teach children embrace and be proud of it.

These ideas have already been implemented into their programs. Mothers were asked to bring in books in their native language and read, not only to their sons and daughters, but all the children involved in the program. While some parents were surprised by the task, Women on the Rise wants to ensure that parents understand the importance of having pride in their culture and sharing that with their children.

These programs don’t stop with children—training will also be made available to teachers. Instead of prohibiting children from speaking in their own language, Women on the Rise hopes more teachers will ask the question, “What does that mean?”

“This will build a very good foundation for the child and by doing that it will give them confidence. Once they feel confident in who they are, it will help with their learnings,” said Campbell.

Women on the Rise was created at a time when many black women were having children at a young age and living on their own, said Campbell. “The social workers were out there, the nurses were out there but it seemed like [the mothers] were in isolation,” said Campbell.

Soon enough a small group was formed where women could socialize and learn more about each other. As it started to grow, it became an organization known as Black Women on the Rise. According to Campbell, although it was called “Black Women on the Rise,” it was not about race, but rather, on immigrant women living in isolation, and helping them become empowered and integrate into society.

In 2003, the organization dropped “Black” from their name to clarify they were seeking to give all women an opportunity to be a part of Women on the Rise, said Campbell. What began as a small program for young immigrant mothers has since developed into a non-profit offering physical, emotional and educational development programs and services.

For more information on Women on Rise and their fundraising events, visit their website.

Categories
Student Life

Laughing at myself with strangers

Photo by Jenna Misener

One Concordian’s experience participating in Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids

Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids (GRTTWaK) hosted their fifth Montreal show on Nov. 20 at La Sala Rossa.

On an elevated stage, with bright lights making it virtually impossible to see the audience before me, I shared childhood writings, from elementary school assignments to angsty teenage diary entries, for a night of comedy and emotion.

Katerina Gang reading things she wrote as a kid. Photo by Jenna Misener

GRTTWaK is a travelling, open-mic show hosted by Dan Misener. Misener and his wife, Jenna Misener, have traveled across Canada since 2007, bringing the show to Canadian communities big and small, where locals sign up to read their childhood writing. Misener hosts about 30 shows per year.

The Miseners came up with the concept in 2006, after returning home for the holidays. “We rummaged through a bunch of old boxes that my wife had stored at her parents house. In one of those boxes was her diary from when she was 13 years old,” said Misener.

“We spent a lot of that Christmas reading this thing out loud to each other and laughing and crying, and it was just this lovely perspective that I had never seen before in my wife,” said Misener. “It struck us that lots of people probably have this kind of material.”

Misener records each reading for the show’s eponymous podcast, which is available online. A few readings from each show make it onto the podcast, which is released every second Monday.

The podcast started in 2008, and has evolved as more voices participate—it is downloaded about 250,000 times a month. “Quite frequently, I get notes from listeners who heard a reading on the podcast that really resonated with them and really spoke to their experience,” said Misener. “And that’s really gratifying.”

Each show opens with Misener reading his own childhood writings. “Nobody wants to go first, so I always go first,” said Misener, who shared an elementary school journal entry about “root bear flats” during the latest show.

As a long-time fan of the podcast and the concept, I decided to share my own writing at the latest event on Nov. 20.

After attending a GRTTWaK event in January 2016, I went home and searched through my old writing. I spent hours reading and laughing at old poems, assignments and diary entries. I put some pieces aside in anticipation of GRTTWaK’s next event.

Selecting writings really allowed me to reflect on how I’ve changed since my pre-teen years. Some of the stuff I found was funny and light-hearted, but some of it was downright embarrassing. I knew I wanted to share it, but I initially felt very unsure.

“I think some people are apprehensive about the idea of sharing personal or private stuff that they’re maybe not super proud of—the parts of themselves that they like to keep hidden or the parts of themselves that aren’t on public display,” said Misener. “But I think there’s a lot of power in that.”

I shared one poem I wrote when I was 10, which featured lines like “I worry what the world will become with racism and terrorism” and “I cry at the knowledge of death.” I found it quite dramatic and funny for a 10-year-old. I also shared a diary entry I wrote when I was 12 about lost love, being “emo” and President George W. Bush.

“It can be really kind of scary,” said Misener. “We’re asking people to get up on stage and be open and honest and vulnerable in front of a crowd full of people that they don’t know.”

Getting up on that stage was an amazing feeling in that, once I started reading, I wasn’t nervous at all. I was shocked at how easy it was to open up to a group of strangers. With each line or phrase, I could feel the warmth emanating from the crowd. It was really refreshing, and almost therapeutic, to laugh at myself with strangers.

Another participant, Kristen Witczak, read several journal entries about Shakespeare and the 1994 referendum from her elementary school journal. “When I stumbled on my grade five English journals, I just couldn’t stop laughing and I thought, ‘This is kind of unique,’” said Witczak.

“Reading to the audience was a blast. It was a hugely supportive crowd and, as soon as they started laughing, I felt completely relaxed and just enjoyed the moment,” said Witczak. “I’ve been to a GRTTWaK event before and I think they’re a fantastic evening spent with a warm, kind community of strangers.”

“Our show is a show where the audience is already on your side,” said Misener. “When people get up on stage and they see the warmth in the room and they see the authenticity of the readers who share their writing, they warm up to the idea a little bit.”

Going forward, Misener hopes to incorporate a visual element to the show and create a web series to accompany the podcast. There’s no end in sight for the show, as Misener said he’s going to keep doing it so long as people are willing to share.

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Student Life

Gamers Gab: Dishonored 2, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Final Fantasy Tactics

Photo courtesy of press

What games to play and what not to play over the holidays

Dishonored 2
Release date: Nov. 11 2016

Just like the first edition of the game, Dishonored 2 definitely doesn’t lack in action and intensity.

The game features a very similar gameplay to the first version—a gameplay that wants the player to create their own rules.The game begins with the choice to play as either Emily Kaldwin, the new empress, or her father, Corvo Attano. The plot focuses on finding the Crown Killer—a character who tries to frame Emily and Corvo for multiple murders—and retaking the throne.

The new edition of Dishonored has more realistic graphics than the first version. The graphics in Dishonored 2 create a larger-than-life 3D feel, with detailed cityscape views and scenery.

While I wouldn’t say the music is badly composed, I don’t think it brings anything to the game. It doesn’t add any suspense or motivation. The voice acting is also one of the most disappointing aspects of the game. Poor scripting for the characters makes the dialogue unrelatable and too predictable. This problem was also present in the first version of the game.

The game still presents breathtaking graphics.  Although the plot is similar and the game presents the same beautiful Victorian-crossed-with-steampunk style as the first edition, Dishonored 2 pays attention to details that are specific to the Dishonored franchise.

By Elisa Barbier (Staff Writer)

Final Fantasy Tactics        
Release date, June 20, 1997

Courtesy of press

The Final Fantasy series is one of the most critically-acclaimed role-play game franchises ever. Hugely popular installments like Final Fantasy 7 grant the series mainstream recognition for its strong narrative skills, innovative gameplay, and iconic music.

However, one of the finest games in the franchise, in my opinion, is the Playstation tactical RPG spinoff, Final Fantasy Tactics. Tactics combines the epic storytelling and iconic music expected from the Final Fantasy games with an incredibly addictive combat and character upgrade system. The game plays similarly to many tactical RPGs: turn-based combat on a square grid. The game’s combat is enriched by the “job system,” which allows insane levels of character customization. The player controls up to 24 different characters, all of which can be assigned any of the multiple “jobs,” such as a wizard, ninja, knight, etc. In battle, a character earns “job points,” which can be used to purchase abilities specific to their job.

What makes this system so addictive is a character can change “job” at any time, while still retaining abilities they’ve already learned. This, along with many other factors, makes it one of the most compelling and fun RPGs in Playstation’s catalog.

By Dominick Lucyk (Staff Writer)

Pokémon Sun and Moon
Release date: Nov. 18 2016

Courtesy of press

Nintendo has hit yet another home run with the newest addition to the Pokémon franchise, Pokémon Sun and Moon.

Pokémon is an iconic series and the newest installments do the name justice.

Pokémon Sun and Moon’s greatest asset is how it experiments to experiment with the standard Pokémon formula. For 20 years, the games have strictly followed the same formula: you start off in a small town, pick one of three starter Pokémon, beat eight gyms, defeat an evil team, then beat the Elite 4 and the league Champion.

However, that doesn’t mean individual games in the franchise haven’t had unique elements, like new Pokémon. Regardless, Sun and Moon completely rejects the old format. There are no gyms, the region is made up of four different islands instead of one big landmass, and a multitude of small details, such as the strength of many attacks, have been changed.

The changes make the experience feel fresh and new. Playing Sun and Moon over the Christmas break is the perfect way to celebrate Pokémon’s 20th anniversary.

By Dominick Lucyk (Staff Writer)

Categories
Student Life

Some handheld help for school

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

Three apps to help you through that final end-of-semester push

It’s that time of the semester when you feel like you might be drowning. As university students are forced to juggle adult responsibilities, end-of-semester deadlines and exams, time management becomes more important than ever.

For us students, it sometimes feels like there simply aren’t enough hours in a day to tick off every item on our to-do lists.  Luckily, the app store is never short on useful apps to help guide us through our studies, and help us survive the end of our semester.

Get Revising

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

This app and website allow you to quickly create a schedule tailored to your individual study needs. The app lets you fill in information about the classes you’re taking, your target grade and the classes and assignments you deem a ‘priority.’

Get Revising also allows you to block off time slots when you are not available to study. These blocks of time can include hours during which you have class, work or other important commitments, and the app essentially helps you work around those commitments. Deadlines and exam dates can also be added to the schedule.

Students can then choose the time they want to begin their study sesh, and set a target for the number of hours they want to dedicate to that session. The site then combines the student’s priorities, deadlines and available study time to create coherent and realistic weekly study schedule.

 Headspace

It can be difficult to set aside time for breaks during your study sessions without feeling guilty.

Sometimes, a spontaneous, 10-minute break is all you need to power through the rest of an essay that’s due tomorrow.

Here’s where the Headspace app comes in handy.  You can have access to 10 free meditation exercises, and each session is 10 minutes long and guided by the soothing British accent of former Buddhist monk, Andy Puddicombe.

The sessions guide students through the process of deconstructing, decluttering and, eventually, reorganizing their mind in a more orderly manner. This app is perfect for when students need to take a step back from homework.

The sessions are organized by levels, allowing you to work your way up to more independent meditation sessions with less guidance.  It also creates a sense of achievement as users move up through the levels. Headspace allows listeners to reap the benefits of meditating without possessing the intellectual discipline of a Buddhist monk.

 

myNoise 

Screenshot courtesy of Danielle Gasher

Even when you’re sitting at a desk with every intention of getting work done, it can be difficult to actually focus. Some people study most efficiently in complete silence. Others need a little white noise. The myNoise app and website offer a plethora of realistic soundscapes and noise generators to fill the silence in a way that won’t distract you.

Among countless others, these include natural noises, such as rain on a tent, streams or the sounds of a rainforest.  You can also choose the calming sounds of a winter walk, an exam hall or a coffee shop, or synthetic noises, such as the classic white noise generator.

Additionally, each noise is highly customizable, allowing users to manually adjust which particular sounds they want to enhance.

With a strategic schedule, a clear head and a stimulating environment, the final weeks of the semester are sure to be more bearable thanks to these helpful study apps.

These free apps are available on iTunes for both android and apple phones.  

Categories
Student Life

A cup of joe with a side of homework

Photo by Joyce Salem

Studying for finals made easier thanks to these five student-friendly Montreal cafés

Café Oui Mais Non
72 Jarry St. East
Open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

A little far from downtown, this student-oriented café near Jarry metro is worth the detour for studying. A cup of coffee is cheaper here than in chains like Starbucks or Second Cup—perfect for a student budget.

Additionally, the café is conveniently divided into three “studying sections.” The first is a quiet section, where people only whisper. This section is perfect for a Concordian who prefers a library-style volume for studying. The next area is the come-and-go section. In this space, customers can grab a coffee, have a quick chat and dash. A third, more animated section is in the café’s small basement, where customers can chat as they please.

Table sizes vary, and the lighting is bright enough to keep you wide awake during a long day of hitting the books. While the lighting is strong, the atmosphere is relaxed, unlike a library, which can feel a little sterile and cold.

Anticafé
294 Ste-Catherine St. West
Open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: few

Photo by Joyce Salem

While supporting local artists by exposing their work, Anticafé presents its own creativity by offering a new student-café concept.

Rather than pay for what they consume, students pay for the hours spent in the café. It costs $3 for the first hour and $2 for each subsequent hour, for a maximum of $9 for a full day.

Not only is the rate ideal, but the studying arrangements are flawless. The owner converted a two-story apartment into a café, with every bedroom offering a space with tables and chairs. The rooms are useful for group projects or practicing for oral presentations.

The second floor of Anticafé is a little quieter, making it a better option if you have a harder time concentrating.

Crew Collective & Café
360 St-Jacques St.
Open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m on weekdays,
and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

Crew Collective & Café is located in the Old Port, near Square-Victoria-OACI metro, in what used to be a majestic and towering bank. For students who like to feel like royalty when studying, this is the place to go.

The café is so beautiful and spacious—it has even been used to take wedding photos.  Given the spaciousness and high ceilings, this place is ideal for people who like to study in open spaces.

It is also an interesting place to study alone or with a friend, because it feels like you are working in an office. The atmosphere offers the necessary motivation to get things done.

Small cubicle spaces are available for free next to the long main tables. Others cubicles, with access to a computer, cost $25 an hour. This café  also has a sofa lounge, for a more comfortable study experience.

While the food and coffee are exquisite, the prices are a bit higher, which is a bit of a downfall.  Lattés and cappuccinos are in the $5 range, and sandwiches and salads range from $10 to $15.

Café Aunja
1448 Sherbrooke St. West
Open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: many

Photo by Joyce Salem

Among the other options, Café Aunja is one of the closest to Concordia’s Loyola campus. It’s also one of the more charming options.

During the week, this spot can get packed, but on weekends the place slows down and students can have a couch or table to study comfortably at.

The music in the café is calming. The place isn’t dead quiet, chatter is part of the package, but as in many other cafés, chatter can quickly become quiet background noise.

Behind the counter, there’s a little living room-style section, where people usually take a break from studying while waiting for their coffee. The place is cozy and small, a kind of home-away-from-home nook for studying.

Toi, Moi & Café
2695 Notre-Dame St. West
Open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays,
and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
Wifi: yes
Outlets: few

Photo by Joyce Salem

At this little bistro near the Lionel-Groulx metro station, students have the option of starting their day with a latte and ending it with a celebratory glass of wine. The experience includes table service and friendly staff.

Outlets to plug computers are harder to come by here, but there are nevertheless a few spread out around the bistro.

The tables are far apart, making this place ideal for students who prefer to be in their bubble and forget there are other people are around them.

It might seem odd to study in a bistro, but the soft jazz music and relaxed vibe at Toi, Moi & Café make the place just as ideal for an end-of-term study sesh as any other café.

Categories
Student Life

My personal experience with counselling

Graphic by Thom Bell

How one Concordian got through anxiety and self-confidence issues with the help of a psychologist

I guess I would say it started about halfway through secondary three.  I always seemed to be plagued by this idea that no one really liked me. It wasn’t the unsettling feeling of having an off day or not being my usual self—it was an ongoing feeling of anxiety based on this worry that no one in my circle of friends really wanted anything to do with me.

In fact, they all probably hated me. And why not, right? I was annoying, I always complained, I never did anything fun, I never laughed enough, I never went out enough—or so I thought.

I went on living this way for almost a year, and the bad thoughts and insecurities got perpetually worse.

To add to my rapidly depleting self-confidence, one of my classmates decided to make me the target of her bullying. I hated every day I had to get out of bed, because I had to face the people my anxieties and behaviour had ultimately pushed away: my best friends.

It got so bad that I couldn’t say anything to them without feeling this intense wave of anxiety and self-hatred. I would start telling myself, “Shut up Gab, nobody cares about what you have to say. You’re ugly, you’re stupid, you’re dumb and you have no friends. They all just hang out with you because they feel bad that you’re such a fucking loser.”

I knew I couldn’t go on like this. I will always remember the day when—in the midst of silent car ride with my mother, without even looking at her, I told her I needed to see a psychologist.

She handled it beautifully and gave me the card of a psychologist she’d heard many good things about.

Today, I can say without a doubt that seeing a psychologist changed my life. I am not the same person who walked into that office four years ago. Seeing a psychologist helped me face my demons, become confident in the person I am and believe that I am worth all the love and respect in the world.

It’s definitely not easy to overcome self-hatred. Taking control of your life, when you’ve been so used to sitting back and letting it take control of you, is extremely difficult. You are forced to dig up aspects of your life you buried ages ago because they were just too hard to deal with. I promise you though, it’s worth it.

Thanks to counselling, I was able to tell my bully I wouldn’t stand for how she was treating me anymore. I was able to have an open, honest dialogue with my friends about my anxieties.

This is why  I’m writing this—to encourage you to seek help if you think you need it. Self-love is hard, and I still have a long way to go before I can fully appreciate my uniqueness.  But now I know how to disassociate my hateful thoughts from the person I actually am.

I now know how to take a step back before becoming overwhelmed by anxiety and self-deprecation.  I analyze the situation that is making me feel this way and determine how I can resolve it.

Counselling gave me the tools to work on self-love, a little bit at a time.

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Student Life

How charity work and business come together

Photo by Ana Hernandez

Concordia hosts a panel where social entrepreneurs discuss their experiences in business

Six panelists spoke about their experiences as social entrepreneurs- people who start up businesses with the aim to solve or improve certain social problems- at a talk at Concordia on Nov. 16.

The six speakers included Kim Fuller, the founder and creative director of Phil Communications; Sydney Swaine-Simon, the co-founder and international director of NeuroTechX; Thérèse Regenstreif, the program manager of Mining Shared Value; André Boisvert, the general manager of ZAP; Jessica Newfield, the chief communications officer of Grey-Box; and Jason Dominique, the executive director of Testicular Cancer Canada.

Photo by Ana Hernandez

The panelists offered in-depth insight and information regarding their views on the business model of self-sustainability through donations, and working for a cause rather than primarily for profit.

The social entrepreneurship model practiced by these six individuals is a sort of middle ground between charity work and for-profit business. On the one hand, these entrepreneurs want their businesses to prosper and make a profit. On the other hand, they want to achieve that profit in a moral way, as they contribute to causes and issues they care about.

“I quickly realized after volunteering for [nonprofit] organizations… that there were cycles of dependency [on money] and I realized that the nonprofit sector, even though it is well intentioned… [isn’t] the most effective in actually bringing about community change,” said Newfield. Newfield is currently working on Grey-Box, a small, portable computer that can be solar-powered and connected to Wi-Fi networks.

The social entrepreneurs spoke about how they see their profession as a more pragmatic version of charity. They explained the challenges social entrepreneurs face are similar to those for-profit businesses and charities face.

“We’re still not perceived really as a legitimate business… It really ticks me off that, when I talk to people about the kind of work I do, they’re like ‘aw, it’s so sweet. Look at you, you’re such a do-gooder.’ No, it’s a business—I’m in the business of helping people who help people. That’s a lot of responsibility. There’s nothing ‘cute’ about finding out that your client, who runs a women’s shelter, has to close on Saturdays and Sundays because of budgeting cuts,” said Fuller.

While all of these entrepreneurs acknowledged that the path they’ve chosen is difficult, Regenstreif summed up why they all continue with their work.

“If you guys choose a certain path because you think it’s a safe path or it’s a guaranteed path that’s going to bring you ‘x’ amount of money, there are no guarantees,” she said.

“So just do what you want to do, because you’re likely going to fail a few times, and I’d much prefer myself to fall down when I’m doing something that I enjoy versus something that I’ve been told to do by someone else.”

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Student Life

Showing Montrealers real Saudi culture

Photo by Sarah Boumedda

The Montreal Saudi Student Association organized its second annual Saudi Exhibition

The Montreal Saudi Student Association held its second annual Saudi Exhibition on Nov. 14, in partnership with Concordia’s Saudi Student Association.

“Today’s event is about [promoting] Saudi culture,” said Sawsan Alshayeb, a volunteer and member of Concordia’s Saudi Student Association. “We want to showcase our culture… so people can see how [Saudis] really are and how we love our country, and [we] want to show it in a positive way so that people can enjoy it.”

The event was held in Concordia’s EV Building lobby, from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m., and attracted many curious eyes. In order to promote Saudi heritage, different kiosks were set up, each displaying an aspect of Saudi culture. Some kiosks offered attendees free food, most of which were typical Saudi delicacies.

The menu included traditional dishes like Saudi pastries and maamoun, which are small cakes. The large table also displayed cupcakes decorated with Montreal Saudi Student Association’s official logo.

Attendees could also buy honey, imported directly from the Asir province of Saudi Arabia. Other promotional products were offered, such as information brochures on various touristic regions of Saudi Arabia, as well as coffee mugs and other accessories.

A kiosk that caught the attention of many was the Arabic calligraphy kiosk, where many attendees, students and teachers alike, lined up to have their name written in Arabic by a professional calligrapher. The henna kiosk was also particularly popular.

Photo by Sarah Boumedda

The main point of attraction at the event, however, was the immense tent set up near the entrance of the EV building. Inside, The Concordian was welcomed by Mohammad Alhumaidhi, a student and volunteer at the event.

“That’s the actual tent [which] we go out [camping] with, in Saudi Arabia,” said Alhumaidhi, motioning to the heavy pieces of fabric enclosing the area around him. “We brought it from Saudi Arabia for this event specifically.”

The displayed tent was four meters long by four metres wide in size, the standard size for one of those traditional camping tents, said Alhumaidhi. He added that the fabrics that make up the tents differ, depending on the environment in which they were used. Thicker materials suit the colder mountainous regions of the country, whereas the thinner, fur-covered fabrics are more useful in the desert, where they can block the sandy winds.

In the tent, volunteers like Alhumaidhi were draped in a thobe, the traditional Saudi dress for men, and wearing a ghutra, a traditional headdress. Each of them welcomed curious students and Concordia teachers, teaching them about traditions of Saudi culture while sitting on one of the numerous decorated cushions that surrounded the area inside the tent. Attendees could learn about Arab coffee and tea, as well as traditional Arab music and singing.

For Alhumaidhi, the Saudi Exhibition is an extremely important event, and goes beyond simple promotion of his native country. “A lot of people hear about Saudi Arabia, and they don’t know [much] except for the image they see [in the media],” Alhumaidhi said. “They don’t know the real Saudi Arabia.”

Photo by Sarah Boumedda

“We [Saudis] live in houses, we drive cars. A lot of people think that we still ride horses in the streets. And I’m not joking at all. A lot of people are surprised that I drive a car,” he said. “Of course I do, it’s 2016!”

Preconceived ideas of Saudis and Arabs don’t just limit themselves to car driving. “I hear people come up to me and say, ‘Oh wow, you’re funny, you’re from Saudi Arabia, you’re Muslim—how is that possible?’ I’m a human being, I’m allowed to be funny,” said Alhumaidhi.

Indeed, representation of Arabs and Muslims in Western media is often negative, “depicting Muslims generally as violent, fanatical, bigoted, or as extremists and terrorists,” according to Belinda F. Espiritu in a paper published in Global Research in 2015. Espiritu is a researcher and an associate professor of communications at the University of the Philippines.

Espiritu said this negative image results in fear among the Western population—something Alhumaidhi has experienced himself.

Photo by Sarah Boumedda

“A lot of people get scared when they look at me wearing what I’m wearing right now,” he said, motioning to his traditional Saudi dress. “[If I’m] walking in the street, people move away from me. People literally move away from me, because they’re scared.”

Alhumaidhi believes such an event is necessary to eradicate this fear and inform people about real Arab culture.

“Saudis are not angry,” he said in a cheerful tone. “We smile, we love camping and singing, drinking coffee.”

Although this is only the second edition of the Saudi Exhibition, both the Montreal Saudi Student Association and Concordia’s Saudi Student Association are determined to keep up this annual event, in the hopes of teaching as many people as possible about Saudi culture.

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Student Life

Re-”paw”-ing animal rights activists

Photo by Ana Hernandez

A night of awards and recognition of groups and organizations active in the fight for animal rights

Close to 100 people gathered for the Quebec Animal Rescue of the Year Award ceremony on Nov. 13.

The ceremony took place at NDG’s Monkland Community Centre, and highlighted the accomplishments and efforts of various animal activist groups and organizations. Representatives from over two dozen rescue organizations were present.

The ceremony was moderated by twin comedians Tom and Peter Hartman, who provided entertainment throughout the evening. The two men performed stand-up routines and interacted with the crowd, while also announcing and handing out awards.

Photo by Ana Hernandez

Some attendees brought their dogs, and many of the rescue operations brought animals in need of adoption for attendees to interact with and shower with well-needed attention.

Young, old and everyone in between came together to appreciate and celebrate the work that has been put into the important cause of animal rights.

The Animal Rescue of the Year Award was given to the Nali Animal Orphanage, run by Lindsay Burkart and Nathalie Santerre. The award came with a $2,000 grant to go towards animal rescue efforts. Nali is an organization that helps animals that are mistreated, neglected or abandoned.

“Most of the animals that we bring in are strays or are abandoned,” said Burkart. “So the animals start off with nothing when we get them, and we make sure that they’re all completely vetted, healthy and educated, as much as they can while they’re with us, until they find their home.”

Upon accepting the award, Burkart said experience providing help for animals has been “amazing.”

“Nathalie and I, who started Nali, we haven’t been doing this rescue as long as some of you in this room, but every day we learn things, we have new experiences,” she said to the room of attendees. “If there’s something I’ve learned, it’s that, despite the amount of sad stories there are, there’s just as many good ones.”

Photo by Ana Hernandez

Burkat emphasized the importance of focusing on the success stories and being driven by them.  “We have to remember that, at the end of the day, we’re all in this for the same reasons, and we all get there different ways, but the goal, the end game, is the same,” she said. “The most important thing is that we make a difference.”

Other awards, such as multiple “Unsung Hero” awards, were handed out to volunteers and workers from various animal rescue groups to recognize their tremendous accomplishments in the fight for animal rights.

One such recipient was eight-year-old Ben Bishop-Gay. Bishop-Gay has been helping Nali Animal Orphanage since he was five years old. “I usually help out at the lemonade stand at the garage sales [for fundraising] every year, for about three years now,” said Bishop-Gay.

This passionate volunteer said he is motivated by his love for animals. “I have a lot of animals at my house. I have 10 horses, and I have 16 beehives, and I have five cats and three dogs,” Bishop-Gay said. He said he cares about animals so much that, when he’s older, he wants to have an animal orphanage.

Several raffle prizes and other awards were also handed out. A $500 grant was given to the Pussy Patrol Cat Rescue group for their grassroot work in organizing cat adoptions and rescues. A $1,000 grant was given to Liliana Danel, a regional ambassador for Lush Cosmetics who is an avid animal rights activist.

Photo by Ana Hernandez

Danel chose to donate her grant money in three ways between different rescue organizations: Westies in Need, Tiny Paws Dog Rescue and the Ottawa Pet Rat Rescue. She also commended the Concordia Animal Rights Association, who were among the volunteers working concession and various other tasks throughout the night.

Danel credited her receipt of the grant to “people knowing that I’m not in it for myself, but I’m in it for the others. I’ve been an animal activist in Montreal for many years.”

“Just the fact that I know so many people wanting to help animals, I think it’s an outpouring love from everyone who wanted to recognize my participation. That’s why I had to give it away right away,” said Danel.

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