Tag: The Concordian

Categories
Community Student Life

Let the good times roll

Graphic by Carleen Loney

How one student’s initiative is bringing the Concordia community together

Among the many clubs to choose from at Concordia, there is one that takes communal building up a notch.

The Concordian spoke with Asma Kattan, a human relations major and founder of the roller skating club, about how she got the idea to form it.

“I am the founder of the roller skating club, I’ve curated it and put all my heart into it. [I wanted] the community to have a place where people can get together to share one hobby and interest and gather to rollerskate,” Kattan explained.

When Kattan was looking for a club to join at Concordia, there was nothing that was remotely close to what she was looking for. 

She made a call to the CSU and got all the information she needed to start her own club at Concordia. Kattan was told that she had to write up a cover letter, a constitution, and petitions.

“We needed around 50 petitions and we exceeded that amount. It was so fulfilling. There is so much big interest for our club now and it is getting bigger and bigger,” Kattan said.

For Kattan, the main goal of the club has always been to unite people and allow them to truly learn from each other.

Roller skating is a great way to improve your overall fitness level because it is essentially a full body workout.

The CSU roller skating club is extremely active on their social media. Their Instagram handle is @rollerskatingclubmtl. On their feed, they have posted many photos and videos from their events that were held in August before school started.

The Concordian was curious to know what the club’s future plans are, going into winter. 

“We usually in the summer head to open tennis courts. In the winter, which is about eight months in Canada, we have it in private indoor safe-gated venues,” Kattan explained.

Kattan has planned four big roller skating events for the winter months. 

For newcomers who want to join the club, Kattan reassured The Concordian that there are full safety measures put in place.

“Precautions are important. We have first of all a tutor that makes sure what level each person is at. So if you’re a beginner, we definitely recommend wearing the protections for roller skating. Most of the people that are members have their own equipment. They’ve been around,” Kattan said.

The club makes all participants sign a waiver of the terms and conditions that outline that the participants are solely responsible for their own safety and security.

If you’re looking for free food, music and lots of good times, look no further. Sign up for the club using this link!

Categories
News

Concordia officially apologizes for mishandling 1969 Black student protests

The University recognized its role in anti-Black racism during Computer Centre incident

On Friday Oct. 28, 2022, Concordia’s President and Vice Chancellor Graham Carr formally apologised on behalf of the University for mishandling the events leading up to the 1969 Black Student Protests. 

“We recognize the deep and often dire consequences that the actions of the University had at the time, and how these consequences have continued to echo through the years,” said Carr.

Carr delivered the apology at a press conference on the Sir George Williams campus last friday. In attendance were Rodney John and Lynne Murray, two of the students whose complaints of racial discrimination at SGWU ultimately lead to the 1969 Black Student Protests.

The University’s apology comes after the President’s Task Force on Anti-Black Racism issued its final report on systemic anti-Black racism at Concordia. Assembled in the fall of 2020, the President’s Task Force was charged with investigating how anti-Black racism is perpetuated throughout Concordia. Its findings encompass over 88 recommendations for combating anti-Black systemic racism at Concordia, including acknowledging “the role of racism in the events of 1969 at Sir George Williams University.”  

“Sadly, the University’s actions and inactions were a stark manifestation of institutional racism,” said Carr. “The adverse effects of that behaviour reverberated widely, not just in Black communities in Montreal but also beyond, particularly in the Caribbean, where several of the Sir George students were from.”

After SGWU rejected the students’ complaints on Jan. 29 1969, 200 students took to the ninth floor of the Henry F. Hall Building in protest. Negotiations between the University’s administration and protestors broke down on Feb. 10 and the Montreal police were called in to resolve the conflict the following day. 

Riot police stormed the building, intent on dispersing the occupation by force. In response, protesters resorted to smashing windows and hurling University property onto the streets below. 

While police and protestors clashed, a fire began in the computer centre, the cause of which remains disputed to this day. Those who were still inside the building were forced to flee for their lives as crowds of onlookers chanted “let the n****rs burn.”

The riot’s aftermath resulted in over 97 people in police custody, $2 million in damages had been reported, and professor Anderson, who had been put on administrative leave during the unrest, was reinstated.

To this day, the Sir George Williams Affair remains the largest student occupation in Canadian history and a stain on Concordia’s reputation.

“For Concordia, reckoning with these events is a long overdue, necessary step. But it is not an end in itself,” Carr said last Friday.

For many, including co-founder and president of the Black Student Union (BSU) Amaria Phillips, this means ensuring that last Friday’s apology is followed up with concrete actions.

“I just really hope it’s not performative,” said Phillips. “I really hope that it’s sincere, with the intention of apologizing to make sure that we prevent anti-Black racism in the school and the University on campus for students, faculty and staff.”

According to Phillips, the BSU was heavily involved, both directly and indirectly, with the President’s Task Force on anti-Black racism during its mandate. She agrees with its findings and recommendations, but worries that the University’s commitment to tackling systemic anti-Black racism will wane if the public’s attention shifts.

“My fear is that, unless the story dies down, the cameras are off, and we’re not the focus of this anymore, they’re just going to let it slide through the cracks, and then we’ll slip back into that cycle,” said Phillips.

Categories
Briefs News

CSU byelections pushed back to late November

Haya Bitar appointed as CSU internal affairs coordinator at last week’s RCM 

On Wednesday Oct. 26, the Concordia Student Union convened for the third regular council meeting (RCM) of the fall semester. The major motions discussed at last week’s RCM are as follows:

CSU byelection postponed to late November as election process is already underway 

The CSU passed a motion in favour of rescheduling the upcoming CSU byelection dates from early to late November. The election period will now begin roughly three weeks after the original election dates presented to the CSU earlier this semester. 

The nomination period will occur between Monday, Oct. 31 and Friday, Nov. 18. The campaign phase will then begin the following week on Monday, Nov. 21 and last until Friday, Nov. 28. Polling is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29, until Thursday, Dec. 1.

Academic and advocacy coordinator Asli Isaaq presented the motion at last week’s RCM on behalf of CSU CEO Ijkot Singh. Singh proposed extending the byelection period to ensure the CSU’s election policies are followed and to allow for additional candidates to come forward.

Singh also assured the CSU that the financial impact of the decision was minimal, since, according to Singh: “most of the prep work [still] needed to be done”.

Former CSU councilor Haya Bitar appointed as internal affairs coordinator of the CSU executive team

Bitar was interviewed alongside two additional candidates for the position during a closed session at last week’s RCM. Bitar’s appointment as internal affairs coordinator was to be announced in the days following last week’s RCM; however, the newly-appointed executive accidentally revealed the decision shortly after council returned to open session. 

Bitar is the third person to serve as internal affairs coordinator during the 2022-23 mandate. Both of her predecessors, Fawaz Halloum and Temmy Mthethwa, resigned within months of being appointed to the position, with the former being elected as general coordinator of the CSU and the latter departing from the executive team after experiencing issues with their employment visas. 

Categories
Community

The 2022 Gem and Mineral Show

Countless tables can be found with handmaid jewlery made out of all kinds of differnt rocks. Kaitlynn Rodney/ The Concordian

Hobbyists and collectors flocked to Montreal’s Palais des congrès for the 61st annual Gem and Mineral Show show.

Between Oct. 28-30, the Palais des congrès was the host for the 61st annual Gem and Mineral Show.

This event was hosted by the Montreal Gem and Mineral club.

A brief history

Founding members Dick Britton and Ernest Windisch met at The McGill’s Redpath Museum in 1957.

The rock and mineral display caught the attention of both Britton and Windisch. They bonded over their shared interest in mineral collecting and brought up the idea of forming an official club.

The club was eventually created on Feb. 14, 1957 at Britton’s home, and it has been growing ever since.

The club’s active board of directors were present on-site for this year’s show and were very gracious to serve as our guide. 

Constance Guignard, the vice president of the club, met up with The Concordian and explained how the show works and what her own role in the club is.

“I do volunteer work here, and we organize this show every year and use it as our fundraiser. We’re making a comeback after three years. We missed 2020, we missed 2021, so now we are coming back,” Guignard said.

Guignard made an interesting statement about all the different things one could do with gems and minerals that not a lot of people might know about. 

“People can sculpt with the gems and minerals. At our club, you know, sometimes people will buy big rocks. We have saws so that people can cut big slabs and do whatever they want with them,” Guignard said.

Walking around the show, one could see all the dealers and vendors present on site. It was easy to get lost in the things to see, touch and learn about. 

One interesting kiosk featured a coconut geode visitors could look at and have cracked on-site. The vendors guaranteed a hollow crystal centre.

Another interesting booth allowed visitors to get forever bracelets welded onto their wrists.

Our Community Editor went through with getting the forever bracelet, and spoke with Ash Charania, the owner of Rainbow Minerals. 

“Forever bracelets is a trend that just hit Canada. In the past in the US, there have been lineups outside the boutiques for people that want to get this. It always takes a while to get to Canada but it’s finally here. It’s really new so no one really understands it yet,” Charania said. 

The look of the bracelet is very dainty and wearers can barely feel it against their skin. The bracelets are custom-measured to the wrist, and visitors can choose between sterling silver, gold, and rose gold for the metal.

While most of the vendors on-site were experienced Gem and Mineral show-goers, this year’s edition was a first for some.

The owner of Petite Plume, Chloé Strum-Thibault, expressed her thoughts about her first time at the show. 

“There are so many beautiful things to see that I feel that my eyes hurt. I already spent a lot of money and I know I am going to spend more,” Thibault joked. 

Thibault takes inspiration for her jewelry creations from growing trees. Over the pandemic she was truly able to take her inspiration and turn it into her business.

The Gem and Mineral Show not only provided shoppers with gems and minerals from all over the world, but also gave them valuable insights to use towards their hobby.

Photographs by Kaitlynn Rodney/THE CONCORDIAN

Categories
Community Student Life

Concordia’s Greenhouse

Greenhouse pond room. Thomas Vaillancourt/THE CONCORDIAN

The 13th floor: a little hidden gem of paradise.

Did you know that Concordia University has its very own greenhouse? It was opened in 1966 when the Hall Building was built.

This hidden gem located at the downtown campus is a little hard to find at first. But once you start seeing the painted plants on the walls of the stairwell leading you up to the 13th floor, you’ll know you are going in the right direction

.

Dominique Smith, the outreach and communications coordinator of the Greenhouse, gave The Concordian all the ins and outs of this space.

“I became the outreach coordinator a couple of months ago. The Greenhouse is a collection of different working groups that make up the community. Essentially, we are the people who create the agriculture community through workshops, volunteer hours and the staff that upkeeps the space,” Smith said.

He explained that his job at the Greenhouse is to work with all the different working groups that occupy the space, those groups being HydroFlora, Co-Op CultivAction, City Farm School and more.

Smith is also working on creating a vlog to explain the projects of those working groups, almost like a farmer’s almanac. 

Smith emphasized that The Greenhouse as a whole is a collective space. 

The staff at the Greenhouse, in partnership with HydroFlora, have brought back the Greenhouse to its pre-pandemic state. 

“We came together to revamp the atrium spaces. So you have the front atrium which has always been available for students to rent or study in. Now we have a pond room that students are able to rent or study in as well,” Smith explained. 

Smith explained how the layout of the Greenhouse is organized.

If one walks to the back of the Greenhouse, they can see all the sections where the different working groups such as CultivAction grow food for the HIVE cafes at Concordia University. 

HydroFlora is the working group that helps maintain the house plants in the Greenhouse. They also give classes and provide students with job opportunities.

Not only is the Greenhouse a collective space for the working groups, it’s also a space to give workshops and classes.

“All these different working groups try to give students here at Concordia an entrance into the agricultural world. Sometimes it’s hard being high up and technically kind of far away from the ground floor,” Smith said. 

Although the Greenhouse is a great initiative at Concordia, Smith stressed that the space is very finite and can’t accommodate a lot of people at once. 

So if you are at the downtown campus, feel free to give the Greenhouse a visit but make sure not to take too many friends with you or else you won’t be able to get a seat.

Photographs by Thomas Vaillancourt/THE CONCORDIAN

Categories
Sports

Baseball is a family affair: a peek into the lives of Tyler and Ryan Bawart

Tyler and Ryan Bawart, pitcher and catcher duo for the Concordia Stingers' baseball team, 2022. KAITLYNN RODNEY/ The Concordian @kait_rodney

The Stingers’ baseball veterans have baseball running in their veins

If two brothers playing for the same team in competitive baseball isn’t uncommon enough, twins who pitch and catch on the same team are as rare as someone hitting more than 60 home runs in a season.

The Concordia Stingers is the lucky team for whom Tyler and Ryan Bawart play. Born and raised in Vaudreuil, both twins are now second-year finance majors at Concordia. It’s also their second year playing for the Stingers’ baseball team.

Growing up watching their father play baseball, the twins developed a passion for the sport.  

“Our dad was a very big fan of baseball, and he got us started very early,” Tyler remembered fondly. “As soon as we could hold a bat, throw a ball, hold a glove, he got us started to play.” 

Their father coached them until his passing in 2017. However, the brothers continued to play and carried his passion with just as much fervour. 

Ryan and Tyler have been playing for 16 years, ever since tee-ball. Both of them are fans of the MLB and have gone to countless games.

“Every spring break when we were kids, we’d go to Florida, and we’d watch the spring training games. That got us a lot into it as well,” said Ryan.

Ryan and Tyler’s family owned a condo 20 minutes away from where the Pittsburgh Pirates played their spring training games.

“Every time we’d go there, we’d probably go to like three to five games a year. When we were younger, we used to run to get players’ autographs,” added Tyler.

Their dad taught them both to pitch and hit when they were young. However, when Ryan started having arm problems around the age of 12, he assumed the position of catcher. He remained able to bat however, so he focused more on that skill. He also continued catching his brother’s pitches.

This role later became permanent when Ryan joined an AA pee-wee team that was in need of a catcher.

The twins played for the Montreal Baseball Academy when they were in college at John Abbott. They currently play for the LaSalle Cardinals during the summer and continue to be a solid duo when it comes to defence. To them, their dynamic feels natural and comfortable.

“It’s fun to have the chemistry that we have. I’ve been pitching to Ryan for almost 10 years now, so I consider him almost like my personal catcher,” Tyler said. “Every time I pitch, I like to have him catch me. Especially when it comes to pitch calling, I’m very comfortable with what he calls. Compared to other catchers, I have better chemistry with him so I’m more comfortable pitching.”

But in the past few years, Ryan hasn’t been catching as much and took on becoming a  shortstop, a position he prefers.

“I usually only catch when Tyler pitches,” he said. “With Concordia however, I started catching a little more because we don’t have many catchers. I like catching Tyler the most, I feel comfortable catching him and I trust him. I know his pitches really well and I think we have a good connection,” Ryan said.

The brothers plan on finishing their majors while playing baseball for Concordia. 

As for the junior league they’re a part of during the summer: at 21 years of age, their stay is close to an end. Next year, they’ll be moving on to the senior league where they’ll need to go through a draft. However, the fact that the senior teams are far from their home in Vaudreuil makes them doubt whether they’ll decide to move up the ranks.

In the end, it doesn’t stop Ryan and Tyler from being optimistic about what the future holds for them. They know they aren’t ready to let go of baseball just yet. If they aren’t able to continue playing together, they will keep on training as a pair.

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Taylor Swift – Midnights

 When it’s noon, it’s always midnight somewhere else

Swift’s tenth studio album Midnights is a pop record through-and-through. Within days of releasing her new album, Swift quickly broke streaming records. On Halloween, she became the first artist ever to occupy all top ten spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.

Combining simple drum beats, a strong vocal performance and a hint of city pop synths, Midnights reminds listeners of the guilty, self-destructive thoughts that have followed the American artist throughout her career.

The first time I listened to Midnights I was in my bedroom at around 12 a.m — the perfect time for impulsively dyeing your hair or texting your ex. Immediately, I felt a huge 80’s aura which now that I think about it, Swift would definitely be able to pull off. Her voice is incredibly versatile and she shows off here. 

The ninetieth time I listened to Midnights, I was on my way to work and it didn’t hit the same spot it did the first time. Midnights is an album that should be specifically played after 9 p.m. It’s like when you eat KFC a few days in a row. The first night it’s delicious; the leftovers are even better. But by day five your head hurts and the only feeling left is of guilt and shame.

When I say Midnights isn’t her strongest lyrical performance, I’m talking about “Anti Hero”. Phrases like “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby” don’t correlate with me at all and I feel like she could have done without them. “Sexy baby” sounds like something Ed Shearan would say in one of his cheesy love songs. 

On the other hand, lines such as “It’s me. Hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.” resonate with people who’ve blamed themselves for a regretful experience in their lives. This is a great phrase but it’s also too generalized. It reminds me of reading horoscopes. One might ask if these lyrics were made with the intention of becoming a viral TikTok audio clip. 

Lastly, I by no means think that Taylor Swift makes bad music. I just don’t believe that twenty years from now, when music historians look back on her career, Midnights will be recognized as one of her best works.

Trial Track: Anti Hero

Rating: 7/10

Categories
News

Social norms and undergraduate drinking: new Concordia study

 New research will analyze the drinking culture among young adults

Drinking in college has become part of the university experience. Many students view alcohol consumption at parties as a rite of passage. 

“Drinking culture around the University is crazy. Students often go drinking, I think most of them do it to forget about the stressors coming from the University,” said Mirella Corso, a first-year finance student at JMSB. 

“I think people use this as a coping mechanism which obviously is not ideal but understandable considering how stressful it is to be a student in this generation,” Corso added. 

Social Norms and Undergraduate Drinking is a study conducted by Dr. Roisin M. O’Connor and the Young Adult and Alcohol Research Laboratory at Concordia that will examine the link between injunctive norms and alcohol consumption among university students. 

Injunctive social norms are behaviours that one is expected to follow and expects others to follow in a given social situation. The goal of Dr. O’Connor’s study is to analyze how people perceive drinking.

Dr. O’Connor’s goal in conducting the study is to better understand and answer the following question: “Why do so many students misuse alcohol?” 

“I am interested in predictors of alcohol use problems, and alcohol use disorder and I’m very interested in kind of transitional periods throughout late adolescence into and through emerging adulthood,” said Dr. O’Connor.

 According to data collected from the 2017 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS), 78.2 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and over reported drinking alcohol at least once in the last year. The CTADS also reports the prevalence of past-year drinking in 2017 among young adults of legal drinking age (18-24 years) was 82.3 per cent, and 79.4 per cent for adults age 25 or older.

The Social Norms and Undergraduate Drinking study is a longitudinal study, meaning it will involve repeated observations over a given period of time. Involving repeated observations over a given period of time, the first phase will gather data from eight to ten online surveys from first-year students and will investigate drinking perception and behaviours. 

The study will follow students throughout their undergraduate degree and track their drinking patterns, their norms, their injunctive norms, their perceptions and how these factors will change throughout their time at university. 

“How do these perceptions align with changes in our drinking behaviour? And who are the people that know when they shift out of university, also are shifting out, maturing out of potential heavy drinking,” said Dr. O’Connor. 

The second phase is the longitudinal study, where Dr. O’Connor and the team will evaluate how students’ perceptions and social norms will predict alcohol use. 

“We’re always looking to how our research can inform interventions or prevention programs. So when we learn about what puts people at risk, then it helps us better target our interventions and our prevention programs,” said Dr. O’Connor. 

Among the graduate students working with Dr. O’Connor is Charlotte Corran, a PhD student in the clinical psychology program.

Corran’s dissertation focuses on the relationship between anxiety and alcohol consumption. Her research will study anxiety sensitivity in drinking, the fear of experiencing anxious symptoms, and the fear that it will lead to negative consequences. 

Corran will analyze how young adults experiencing anxiety sensitivity are prone to lean towards risky drinking due to peer pressure. 

“I was particularly interested in this study, kind of for that social aspect and we know that young adults are [in] a period in development where we care a lot about what our friends and peers think. So I figured it was probably having an impact on drinking,” said Corran. 

Categories
Hear me out Opinions

Hear Me Out: Adult Friendships As Told By A Former Socially Anxious Child

JAMES FAY/The Concordian @jamesfaydraws

Breaking down the science of meeting people in a post-pandemic world

People are everywhere, and introducing your name, age, favourite colour, and field of study eventually becomes muscle memory, right? But there is something daunting about sharing more than just that.

By now, you must have come to the realization that while meeting people is easy, making them friends is hard.

As someone who had to beg their sisters to order food for them as a child, I sometimes feel that my past fears manifest themselves into life over and over again. Anxieties that once revolved around having no one to play with during recess and being told to “pick a partner” in class creep their way into adult interactions.

I find that the socially anxious child inside me never went away — they now live on, wearing adult-sized clothing. It’s a phenomenon that transpires in crowded lecture halls and house parties alike; and as I grow older, I question the idea of friendships even more.

Vulnerability can be scary, but opening your arms and the doors of your home to others is what builds friendships. The one thing I have in common with my current friends is the moments of vulnerability that we’ve shared: when I show them my weaknesses and they show me theirs. 

When coming face to face with new friends, being vulnerable is the only hard step to overcome. Confiding in people and showing them your weaknesses can be scary, but it’s necessary for human connection.

The past two years of our lives have transformed the way we view friendship and our yearning

for connection. After the pandemic, friendships appear to be a scarce resource that we forgot how to maintain. Being chronically online and out of touch with reality has arguably transformed the relationship many of us have with making friends. Many of us can no longer sit still in a classroom and daily ventures consume more energy than they used to.

How do we overcome our fear of socializing in a post-pandemic environment? How do we maintain a friendship amidst packed schedules and obligations?

More importantly, how many times do we have to bump into each other at the grocery store to go from “acquaintances” to “friends”?

The naivety of our youth makes friendships easy. We don’t think about why or who we want to be friends with. We see the same people at school everyday, have the same idea of fun, and have so little to lose.

The more awareness we gain of our surroundings, the more filters we put in place for the people we let into our lives. This can be very enriching yet lonely and anxiety-inducing.

There are a few things that helped the socially anxious little child inside me, and I find myself

resorting to them time and time again.

First, aim to like people and not for them to like you. You should have a genuine interest in the people you’re friends with while constantly looking for the good in them. This takes the pressure off yourself to need validation and you’ll want to get to know people (bonus points because people love talking about themselves).

I often ask for confirmation of my delusions. There should be one person in every room you can depend on to shake you and tell you, “No, you don’t look stupid in that shirt.” All it takes to break a self-conscious thought in a social setting is to say it out loud, so you can realize that it’s only scary inside your head.

I remind myself that I’m not the only one who feels like this. It may be hard to believe but everyone is in the same boat. We yearn for friendships and companions, and we all get moments of self-doubt and self-consciousness. It helps when you think of other people as… well, people.

Adult friendships are the most beautiful addition to your life once you overcome the scary steps. I found sisterhood with people not related to me, and have people in my life who my children will be hearing stories about. 

We all deserve soulful and healthy friendships. We gain so much from the people around us and for that, we have to train ourselves to put our walls down.

Categories
Arts

Want to travel, but can’t afford to? Write and receive postcards from people abroad instead!

Postcrossing: a website that allows people to exchange postcards

Postcrossing is a community with over 800,000 active members sprawling across 205 countries, that allows people to exchange postcards with one another. 

“It’s an online platform that allows anyone to exchange postcards from all over the world, for free,” said computer systems engineer and creator of Postcrossing, Paulo Magalhães. 

He shared that the idea stemmed from wanting to connect people who love writing postcards. 

Inspired by the famous website BookCrossing, which serves as a platform to exchange books with random people, Postcrossing strives to do the same with postcards.  

While postcard exchanges might seem like a thing of the past, it is always nice to receive one in the mail. 

Soon after the project started, it gained immense popularity. The year 2008 marked a million postcards sent. 

It connected thousands of people across the world who aspire to travel but do not necessarily have the time, finances, or ability to do so. 

Every postcrosser has a profile, where they write about themselves and the kind of postcards they would like to receive. This gives the sender cues for what they can choose to write about. 

Beyond mailing postcards, the community has grown to organize meetups for postcard exchanges. There’s a forum where people connect their lived realities and blog to report the stories of postcrossers around the world. 

In the summer of 2020, I was working in a tourist shop in the Old Port of Quebec City. There barely were any tourists, because it was only the start of the pandemic. The few people that did visit were from the province, sometimes Ontario, and did not have much interest in buying souvenirs. 

One day scavenging through the stock, I found hundreds of different postcards, representing facets of the city. Surfing the web, looking for inspiration on what people did with postcards of their own city, I fell upon Postcrossing. At first, I did not understand the full extent of its brilliance. 

I have written letters to prisoners for over ten years. It started as an activity product of boredom as a young teenager and turned into opening my mind to carceral justice and abolition.

Traveling across the world, I met like-minded people, who did not believe in the concept of borders and shared my interest in writing. We soon decided to write letters to each other and forge contact living miles away. 

I wrote postcards when traveling to people I cared about but never had thought of sending them from my own city. Postcrossing made me see a world where people are eager to know about my own town. 

“Every member I meet is someone like me — just someone wanting to share some thoughts and experiences from their little corner of the globe,” says Emma Wayne, a postcrosser from Germany.  

I encountered only a few setbacks. Canada has some of the most expensive stamps in the world, one factor being that they are taxed. With $2.71 per international stamp, there are only so many postcards that can be sent a month, without it being a costly endeavor. 

I met a community of artists, people who make their own postcards, taken from their own photos, or some who paint on cardboard, collages, and drawings. 

All age ranges exist, from older retired folks to five-year-olds who are learning to write. Once, a young girl from California filled an envelope with sand and attached a note saying that it was so I could also feel like I was at the beach. 

“Postcrossers are people of all ages and backgrounds, connected by their love for postcards. Since postcards and stamps are available nearly everywhere around the world, Postcrossing can be enjoyed by anyone,” added Magalhães. 

Most people write in English, but you can write in any language the destinee reads. It can be a language practice exercise for some. I’ve had someone write to me in Georgian. 

Determined to understand its meaning, I spent over two hours deciphering it. I would have never turned to Georgian if it had not appeared to me so randomly. 

I have stayed in contact with several people from the platform, some of whom have even welcomed me to their home while traveling. 

Postcrossing is more than a simple platform, it’s a community of nomads, travellers, people passing their time exchanging souvenirs of their own towns to the world. 

It’s free, accessible, builds community, and sometimes gives you free housing when travelling! 

Graphic by: James Fay

Categories
Music On Repeat

 On Repeat: Fall songs edition

Need something for your fall playlist? The Concordian’s staff share their go-to fall songs.

Guillaume Laberge, Music Editor

“Death with Dignity” – Sufjan Stevens

It’s hard to put words on this song as it is genuinely one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking pieces of music I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. “Death with Dignity” is a folk track that sees Stevens opening up about his late mother in a truly touching manner. The gentle finger-picking guitar playing mixed with Stevens’ whispery delivery only reinforces the song’s theme and makes for a very intimate moment that suits autumn perfectly.

Saro Hartounian, Assistant Music Editor 

“Harvest Moon” – Neil Young

Where do I begin? It is THE fall song: the harmonica, the swish beat of the snare in the background, the sparse yet recognizable guitar riff played by the Winnipeg treasure. The harmonies of both Young and Nicolette Larson tie the song up into this calm accompaniment for your end-of-day fall activities, like sitting on the front porch on a Sunday evening. 

Dalia Nardolillo, Community Editor

“I Ain’t Worried” – OneRepublic

A song that has been on repeat for me this fall is “I Ain’t Worried” by OneRepublic. With the stresses of keeping up with a healthy work-life balance always looming above my head, this song reminds me to not get stuck on life’s little problems and just focus on the bigger picture.

Jeremy Cox, Assistant Arts Editor

“Black Balloons Reprise” feat. Denzel Curry – Flying Lotus

I tend to gravitate towards the creepy and psychedelic during the spooky season. As a fan of hip hop, soul, and R&B, I stumbled across Flying Lotus a couple of years ago, who’s able to fit my autumn needs on many occasions. As his 2019 album Flamagra is my favorite of his works, I’d have to pick “Black Balloons Reprise” featuring Denzel Curry. 

Cris Derfel, Head Copy Editor

“Retrograde” – James Blake

I always turn to James Blake’s music when the leaves begin to fall. His earlier work especially suits the melancholy of the season, and “Retrograde” from his second album Overgrown is on repeat for me throughout most of October. Blake’s voice is haunting and melodic as the synths and bass come together in an explosive crescendo — suddenly you’re hit, and if you’re like me you keep going back for more.

Evleen Kaur, Copy Editor

“Sleep On The Floor” – The Lumineers

Picture this: it’s a cold fall evening and you run into a philosopher on the walk to your apartment. He stops you and asks, “If you go today, will you go in peace?” Your eyes sweep over the dying leaves everywhere and suddenly you’re reminded of the tattoo you still want to get. You remember the hike you never went for because you were too paranoid. Now I’d tell you there’s a better way to picture all that, but then I’d be telling you to listen to this song.


Maria Bouabdo, Sports Editor

“Hurricane” – Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan’s music hits different in the fall, but there’s something about “Hurricane” that makes me turn to this song in particular every year. It’s a beautiful song based on a true and heartbreaking story. I’ve always associated fall with endings and sadness, and to me, that cannot be encapsulated any better than it is in this song: the wrongful end of a man’s freedom.

Cedric Gallant, Podcast Producer

“The Ballad of the Runaway Girl” – Elisapie

This song is perfect when you finish school late, night time is creeping in, and you feel tired yet accomplished with your day. It’s moody yet stylish and relaxing, and it kind of prepares you for the winter to come. The vocals by Elisapie are mysterious yet endearing, the musical performance is detailed and serene. Honestly, I cannot recommend this song and this whole album enough, a true delight to the ears. 

Esther Morand, Arts Editor 

“Never Fight A Man With A Perm” – IDLES

This is the perfect song for midterm season, just before the snow falls. When you don’t know how you’re going to make it through even a single day, this song will carry you through. It’s the perfect song to help you write long essays and occupy your mind so you have energy to finish the semester!

Graphic by James Fay @jamesfaydraws

Categories
Sports

Stingers men’s soccer come up short 2-4 against Montreal in crucial game for playoff spot

Concordia Stingers' men's soccer vs. University of Montreal Carabins on Oct. 23, 2022. Credit: Evan Buhler/ Concordia Athletics

The Stingers men’s soccer team’s season has come to a close, unable to emerge victorious in their clash against the University of Montreal Carabins

The team was well aware of the high stakes coming into this final regular-season game. The Laval Rouge et Or were playing at the same time, and both teams were eager for a win to cement themselves into the top 4 and clinch a playoff berth. 

While the Rouge et Or finally grasped a 2-0 win against the UQAM Citadins, the Stingers’ loss wiped out any chances of the team going further, as they needed at least a tie to secure their placement.

“I think it’s a microcosm of our season,” said Stingers’ head coach Greg Sutton after the game. “We let a lot of games slip this season that we should have been able to take care of early on and not even put ourselves in this predicament.” 

Visibly upset with the turn of events, Sutton was still there to comfort the heartbroken and lamenting players on the sideline after the final whistle.

The matchup was of major difficulty for the Stingers, with the Carabins already being the reigning champions and sitting atop the division boasting an 8-1-2 record. Both their defence and offence are regarded as the best in the RSEQ, scoring 33 goals and conceding only 10. They also beat the Stingers earlier this season with a score of 4-0, and even knocked them out of the playoffs in the first round last year.

The Montreal Carabins put on a stellar performance the whole game, able to count on midfielder Lucas Frutier who had his best game of the season, scoring all four of the Carabins’ goals and being named team MVP. They were also able to rely on their rock-solid defence, which didn’t allow a single goal in the first half and was overall very efficient in keeping the Stingers at bay.

However, nothing can be taken away from the Stingers’ perseverance and unwillingness to give up. Trailing by three goals going into halftime, they entered the second half ready to leave it all on the field and fight for their right to play for the championship. They came back looking determined after the break, with early back-to-back goal opportunities. In the 65th minute, Stingers’ midfielder Benoit Litty Mpako was finally able to kick the ball into the net, giving the team its first goal of the game.

The unfortunate reality remained that the opposing defence was by far the best in the league and was not ready to give up much of an edge. The Stingers’ laboured performance was, however, shown by the fact that this game was only the third time this season that the Carabins’ fortress-like defence allowed more than one goal. Stingers’ goalkeeper Jordy Kerlegrand also turned in a solid performance with eight spectacular saves, bringing his grand total this season to 53, the third most in the RSEQ this season.

When asked about how he kept his players in the running with such a deficit, Sutton explained: “We had to believe, we had to stay motivated. The guys were able to give themselves a bit of a lifeline when they scored but when we took the fourth goal, it was hard.”

The Stingers’ defence was indeed doing a much better job after halftime, but all seemed grim when Frutier was ultimately able to find the back of the net for the fourth time in the game. Concordia’s final point came 85 minutes in, when confusion led the Carabins to score an own goal, but unfortunately for the Stingers, it was too late to orchestrate a proper comeback.

With this game being the last of the regular season, senior players were called forward before kick-off and congratulated for their tenure with the soccer team. Stingers’ midfielder John Cevik left with the team MVP award for his last game as a Stinger.

“We’ve got to keep fighting; the program is going in the right direction and now we just need to get rid of these hurdles in the way. Hopefully, we build a culture in which we can keep doing that,” concluded Sutton, who is widely optimistic for the future of the men’s soccer team.

The first playoff games will take place on Oct. 28, with Laval facing Montreal and UQAM facing UQTR to determine who will face off in the finals for the championship.

Exit mobile version