I looked on, half horrified, half intrigued, as she set the timer for 10 minutes. Trying to hide my disgust, I attempted to confirm that this wasn’t some kind of strange mistake, a careless slip of the finger on the time selection wheel: “Did you mean to select 10 minutes,[Read More…]
Off the Board
McGill’s “gatekeeper courses” are against the spirit of education
The first time I expressed my desire to attend McGill, my enthusiasm was met with a warning: “You might get in, but it’s difficult to stay in.” They meant that although the university does not have the traditionally single-digit acceptance rates of American Ivy Leagues, the difficulty and low averages[Read More…]
My cultural identity is not dependent on a language
A few weeks ago, my friend Toscane and I were stopped by a man who asked us if we were French. With our affirmative response, he excitedly expressed his love for our accent before noticing the Hamsa pendant on my necklace. Also called the Hand of Fatima, the Hamsa symbol[Read More…]
Skipping class can be a studious choice
Growing up, I had near-perfect attendance. In Grade 1, my school pre-emptively excused us all due to a blizzard forecasted for the next day. But my dad and I still crunched stubbornly through the snowfall the following morning, where he deposited me with the only teacher who had managed to[Read More…]
Making someplace a home 
Over the course of my 21 years of life, I’ve lived in nine different houses/apartments; three countries; five cities. But until recently, I couldn’t tell you if I’ve ever lived somewhere I’d call home. By Merriam-Webster’s definition, “home” refers to one’s place of residence, and also as “the social unit[Read More…]
I’ve had enough of yearning
When I open X, Instagram, or Substack looking for something to read, I am often confronted with a series of textbites: it’s yearning hours what’re y’all yearning for tn big year for yearning, longing, pining, and obsessing my playlist for yearning and sighing this month I don’t know about you,[Read More…]
The case for comprehensive education
When I applied to McGill’s Interfaculty of Arts and Science, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, but I did know one thing: I was in search of an interdisciplinary education. I didn’t want to stay in the STEM box I had streamlined myself into during my final[Read More…]
Choosing not to be political is inherently taking a political stance
“I’m not political.” Hearing these words spread around campus frustrates me. How can you “not be political” when politics inherently concerns humanity? It doesn’t make sense. During nightly family dinners growing up, conversations would start with “How was your day?” but quickly turn into political discussions about current events. My[Read More…]
Nurturing action through collective care
Five days a week for the past four years, my classmates and I have sat in lecture halls and listened to how humans are destroying the Earth. We’ve learned about global leaders who keep failing to meet their stated climate commitments or how others choose to deny climate change entirely,[Read More…]
Through love, we can protect the heart of democracy
The first time I saw democracy in action, it was not through a cast vote, but a love letter to the future. Before I was old enough to vote, my mom and dad would bring me to the polling stations in my hometown of Barrie, Ontario to watch the events[Read More…]
