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News, SSMU

Gerts Café celebrates opening with complimentary double shots of espresso

by Ghazal Azizi on

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Gerts Café, the daytime operation of Gerts Campus Bar, officially opened its doors to the McGill community on Nov. 8. The official launch comes after the cafe had to postpone its opening due to equipment shipping delays. 

Tre Mansdoerfer, BEng’19, originally proposed a cafe model for Gerts during his term as Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) president in 2018-2019, and continued working on the proposal with Jemark Earle, 2020-2021 SSMU president, to eventually pass the motion on Dec. 3, 2020.   

“A student union building should be a building where every room has some sort of utility, both during the day and at night,” Mansdoerfer said in an interview with  The McGill Tribune. “Gerts bar is the biggest […] selling point of the building, [so] it should [function] starting at 10 a.m.”

U1 Arts student Ella Brown, who enjoyed a free espresso courtesy of the cafe’s launch event, was impressed with the quality of the coffee.She looks forward to having Gerts Café as an alternative to libraries for studying. 

“It seems nicer to study at Gerts Café than working at McLennan or the other libraries,” Brown said. “It has an ambiance that is different from ordinary coffee shops, and the coffee was definitely better at Gerts than at the other cafes around campus that I have tried.”

Kittel Coffee, a Montreal-based specialty coffee roastery, has partnered with Gerts Café as their exclusive supplier. For Nadine Pelaez, the manager of Gerts Café and Bar, a local coffee roastery was key when choosing a supplier, coming second only to quality. Another reason Pelaez chose Kittel was because of its focus on sustainability and transparency. 

“[The] transparency report on their website is a big part of the appeal,” Pelaez said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “The fact that they had [one] and it was public on their website, and also what was in it […], was part of why I ended up choosing Kittel.”

Mario Bouthat, a sales representative at Kittel and barista-trainer at Gerts, also emphasized the importance of sustainability for Kittel.  

“We negotiate the prices directly with the farmers, [and, with our packaging], we try to minimize the impact on the environment,” Bouthat said. “When you are at least making [the process] as best as you can, you are honoring the usage of resources [and] the countries of origin.”

Marco Pizarro, U2 Arts, echoed Brown’s enthusiasm about having a cafe on campus, but hopes that Gerts Cafe extends its hours to past 12 p.m. 

“During the winter […] it would be better to have coffee and other hot drinks at Gerts in the afternoon,” Pizarro said. “Especially for people who don’t drink alcohol, it would be a shame not to have non-alcoholic options and [to not be able to] enjoy Gerts later in the day.” 

Pelaez assured that there will eventually be some overlap in the hours Gerts’ Café and Bar are open. On Nov. 17, Gerts Café announced it would extend its hours to open at 8 a.m. and close at 3 p.m.

“Right now, my starting line is at six baristas,” Pelaez said. “[But] slowly, as I hire more people, I can expand the [cafe’s] hours.” 

On Nov. 11, SSMU announced in an email that Gerts Student Bar and Cafe would be temporarily closed on Nov. 11 and 12 due to a positive case of COVID-19. SSMU and the Gerts management team informed students that the formal contact tracing process had been initiated to alert those present at both Gerts Bar or Gerts Café on Nov. 8 of the exposure. 

News, SSMU

All items in SSMU Fall 2021 referendum pass after initial technical difficulties

by Anoushka Oke on

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McGill students were invited to vote in the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Fall 2021 referendum between Nov. 9 to Nov. 15. Voting was initially slated to start Nov. 8 and end Nov. 12, but after technical problems and content errors on certain questions, the original ballot was cancelled and the voting period re-opened with a new ballot on Nov. 9. Referendum results were published just after 5 p.m. Nov. 15 after the polls closed—all eight questions passed.

The SSMU runs a referendum once per semester; the fall referendum takes place early November and the winter one, early March. This semester’s vote was mostly made up of fee referenda—questions involving the addition, removal, preservation, or increase of student fees for certain clubs. The ballot also included a constitutional amendment and a new policy proposal—The McGill Student Union Democratization Initiative (MSUDI). 

MSUDI aims to make the various student unions at McGill more democratic. It proposes to do so by creating small general assemblies for the different student unions that would facilitate a form of non-hierarchical direct democracy—including eliminating elected representatives from student unions. MSUDI also proposes that delegates be elected from the smaller assemblies to represent various student interests at the larger union meetings. 

In an interview with The McGill Tribune, Bryan Buraga, U4 Arts & Science, explained that the passing of the MSUDI will provide funding for the initiative in its pursuit of democratizing student and faculty unions on campus like the Arts Undergraduate Society and the Science Undergraduate Society.

“Our student body has spoken,” Buraga said “Things need to change in our student unions […] We are looking forward to working with our fellow students to build solidarity between one another and put the power of student unions back into [student] hands.”

Campus radio station CKUT and the McGill branch of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) both ran existence referenda. The referenda will determine whether those organizations will be able to continue operating because if the ballot question for their respective fees failed, they would no longer be able to deliver services in the same capacity.

The referendum passed increases to the Nightline Service fee, the Safety Network fee, and approved the creation of a Queer Equity Support fee and the opt-outable MUSTBUS fee—a bus service that would provide more affordable transport to major cities like Boston, Toronto, and Ottawa. The referendum also passed a constitutional amendment to add a seat to the SSMU Legislative Council for an Outaouais campus representative. 

Specific fees often fund more than one student organization. For example, the SSMU Referral Services fee will go toward both Eating Disorder Resources Support Centre (EDRSC) and Queer McGill (QM). 

“QM is beyond pleased with the referendum results, both the increase of the Referral Services fee and the creation of the Queer Equity Support fee,” wrote Brooklyn Frizzle, U3 Medicine and Health Sciences and administrative coordinator of Queer McGill. “These new and increased fees will truly go a long way in supporting an empowered Queer community at McGill.”

For organizations like CKUT on the other hand, a “no” vote would have resulted in CKUT significantly reducing their operations—and likely losing their frequency modulation license (FM).

“Our FM license is dependent on us being a campus community radio station,” said Tia Kattler, U3 Arts and engagement coordinator at CKUT in an interview with the Tribune before referendum results were published. “[Student fees] provide such a significant portion of our spending, we would likely have to cut down on staff as well, and it could very well mean the end of CKUT as it’s known.”

Emma Gurney, U2 Management and QPIRG board member, also worried that losing their funding would take away services the group provides to the McGill community. She was relieved after having read the referendum results. 

“We are responsible and accountable to a larger community,” Gurney said. “I am happy that QPIRG gets to continue existing.”

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Queer McGill was running an existence referendum. In fact, they were not. The Referral Services fee change would potentially impact funding, not Queer McGill’s existence. The Tribune regrets this error.

Commentary, Opinion

Restrictions for the unvaccinated are not oppressive

by Sepideh Afshar on

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As of Nov. 14, 76.46 per cent of Quebec’s population is fully vaccinated. Even before the first day of vaccine administration in Canada mid-December 2020, COVID-19 vaccines have been shrouded in doubt and conspiracy. Anti-vaccination (anti-vaxx) protests have plagued the streets of Montreal almost every weekend for a year, spurred by reasons ranging from protesting vaccine mandates to fighting the implementation of vaccine passports. Recently, protestors worldwide have adopted a new strategy––making claims that being unvaccinated is akin to oppression experienced by racial and religious minorities. Individuals who participate in this rhetoric must understand that their decision to remain unvaccinated, no matter the reason behind it, cannot be analogized to the experiences of those whose fundamental and unchangeable positionalities result in experiences of oppression.  

One of the most popular arguments against Quebec’s vaccine passport is that it inhibits unvaccinated people from partaking in everyday activities based solely on their decision to remain unvaccinated. This is viewed by some as oppressive––so much so that it has even been compared to living under the Soviet Union, Communist East Germany, or apartheid South Africa. Needless to say, this is not the case. These measures are in place to prioritize public safety; to protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19 as well as those unable to get vaccinated, like children under 12. The prioritization of communal health over individual, unfounded skepticism is not a marker of an oppressive state but instead integral to a fair society. It shows that the state is willing to take the necessary steps to get through this pandemic. 

Above all, it is both offensive and completely ignorant to claim experiences that result from choosing to remain unvaccinated are similar to those of racialized and religious minorities.  Anti-vaxxers seem to be grasping at straws in an effort to victimize themselves. It is only those who have been privileged their entire lives who would place their mistrust of science above the lives of those around them. Some anti-vaxxers have been seen sporting Stars of David, attempting to equate their experience of being unvaccinated to the oppression that Jewish people faced during the Holocaust. This behaviour is horrifying and unacceptable—if being told to get a life-saving vaccine is the most traumatic thing someone has faced, that is an extremely privileged spot to be in. If this is a method of gaining empathy from marginalized communities, it is an uninformed and ineffective one. 

Claims of unfair treatment for being barred from entering restaurants also blatantly disregards the racism that is embedded in anti-vaxx movements. The first protests against vaccinations arose because inoculations were originally part of non-western cultures across China, the Middle East, and North Africa. When an enslaved African man, Onesimus, taught a minister the method, it was met with public outcry—fueled by racist tropes—that the practice must be dangerous. Now, anti-vaxx movements target minority communities who already have justified mistrust of healthcare systems in order to spread misinformation. For example, Children’s Health Defense, an anti-vaccine organization, created a film against the COVID-19 vaccine that was aimed squarely at Black communities, drawing direct links between the vaccine and real healthcare atrocities, such as the eugenics movement. This pointed misinformation only exacerbates the fact that minority communities are already disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Preying on minority communities and trying to take advantage of the systemic abuses they have faced in medical spaces is representative of the shameless nature of anti-vaxx movements. Tactics like comparisons to genocides and experiences of religious and racial oppression are a corruption of those real experiences. So while choosing to forgo the COVID-19 vaccine is a personal choice, it does not reign over public safety. Despite the controversy it may cause, public health is more important than one person’s selfish refusal to care for others.

Sports

From the gym to the studio: Athletes who gave music a go

by Adam Burton, Madison McLauchlan, Zoe Mineret on

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Whether it be a washed-up child actor or a TikTok star on the come-up, many celebrities try to break into the music industry at some point in their career. Given the historical connection between music and the world of sports, it is unsurprising that several star athletes are also taking their talents to the studio. The following are the Tribune’s picks for the best and worst athletes-turned-musicians. 

(sportskeeda.com)

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on Tech N9ne’s Faceoff

As the highest-paid male actor for three years running, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has ascended far beyond his relatively humble roots in WWE wrestling. While his talents on the big screen are undeniable, his recent foray into the music industry on Tech N9ne’s “Face Off” has some raising their eyebrows, and many others rejoicing on TikTok. His feature in “You’re Welcome” from Moana was heartfelt and catchy, but the Rock’s most recent verse is so over the top in its embodiment of “hustle culture” that it’s been satirized en masse. While this video says a lot about Johnson as a person and businessman, the most obvious takeaway is his position as the most marketable man on the planet. His blatant shill of “Mana” or Teramana—his own tequila brand—is just a sign of things to come. With talk of a 2024 presidential campaign, it’s hard to imagine the new heights Johnson could achieve. In the meantime, we’ll stay hungry, waiting to devour more of Johnson’s music.

(USA Today)

Caroline Wozniacki — Bestie, why? 

In 2012, the Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki was just coming off the peak of her professional career, having been seeded number one in the world for the majority of 2010 and 2011. This was also the year she recorded and released “Oxygen”, a song for a charity effort that can only be described as an assault on the ears. The video, which I implore readers to watch, features a stock-still Wozniacki lip syncing in a studio, an incomprehensible romantic plotline, and of course, tons of tennis balls—all delivered in eye-searing 240-pixel quality. The song makes a swing at Britney, but lands on robotic. (If it weren’t already bad enough, the bridge gives us the cringeworthy line, “Boy, you’re my matchpoint”.) Courtside, Wozniacki went on to participate in 55 finals, winning 30 singles titles in the process. She will certainly be remembered for her fantastic tennis-playing, and luckily, not for her foray into music. 

(Puck Junk)

Guy Lafleur’s disco career

The beloved Canadiens hockey player is acclaimed as being the Habs’ top scorer of all time with 518 goals and 728 assists, and for being the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals in six consecutive seasons. He is, however, less known for his 1970s disco album, released as an LP with selections in both English and French to please his loyal Quebecois fans. The record was aptly named Lafleur! and was sold along with an instructional booklet that detailed hockey basics, like how to skate, score, and check. Every song, English or French, relates to the game of hockey in some way, and is a certified disco banger. Though he never followed this album up, Lafleur is one of the few entries on this list that excelled both on the rink and in the studio. And with restrictions on dancing in clubs and bars easing this week in Quebec, there has never been a better time to harken back to the good old days, when the disco was hot and the Canadiens were actually good. 

Yannick Noah, French superstar

Yannick Noah is famous throughout France for his incredible tennis career, winning at Roland Garros in 1983 and becoming the French tennis captain in 1991, which led him to win the Davis Cup in 1996 and 1997. However, the tennis player is just as well known for his successful music career. Unlike the others on this list, his music is nationally appreciated for its positive and uplifting messages: His 2006 hit single “Aux arbres citoyens” is about environmentalism, and some of his music royalties go towards related charities such as “Les enfants de la terre” or “Fête le mur”. His 11 albums are a reflection of his French and Cameroonian heritage, which he says has inspired his music. Noah is one of the few artists who has successfully managed to transition from a sports career to a music career, and the Tribune recommends “Destination Ailleurs” to anyone looking for a fun, catchy song to practice their French.

(LA Times)

Kobe Bryant with K.O.B.E

Just like his teammate Shaquille O’Neal—albeit with less success—the Lakers star gave rap a try during his career, signing a record deal with Sony in 1999. Before making his debut as a solo artist, Bryant was featured on a variety of singles, and even collaborated with Destiny’s Child on their hit song “Say My Name”. However, Kobe Bryant’s debut album never saw the light of day after the release of his first single “K.O.B.E”, featuring model Tyra Banks. The song sounds exactly like what one would imagine a Tyra Banks feature to be. She sings the chorus, chanting about how much she loves Bryant: “K-O-B-E / I L-O-V-E you.” Bryant raps to a funky beat that nonetheless does not match the overall tone of the song. For Bryant’s fans, however, the song is full of nostalgia: During the filming of the music video, Kobe Bryant met his future wife, Vanessa Bryant. The song encapsulates the spirit and drive of early 2000s Kobe, who managed to capture the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.

Art, Arts & Entertainment

MAI’s new exhibit ‘Making Revolution’ dissects the anatomy of revolutions

by Avryl Bender on

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On Nov. 11, the vernissage for Making Revolution: Collective Histories, Desired Futures, curated by Farah Atoui and Viviane Saglier, took place at the Montréal Arts, Interculturels (MAI). This thought-provoking and heartfelt display of short films showcases works from a selection of artists, exploring revolutions and conflicts in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iran. 

Raed and Rania Rafei’s film Prologue sets the stage for Making Revolution, documenting the protest of young political activists at the American University of Beirut (AUB) just before Lebanon’s civil war in 1974. Concerned that their Arab heritage was not being recognized and opposing a 10 per cent increase in tuition, the students organized a protest that lasted 41 days until it was dispersed by police. Raed & Rania Rafei’s 49-minute documentary investigates revolutionary student mobilization, depicting the rise and driving forces of change through the perspective of young activists. 

Prayer of Fear is a short video created by Mosireen, a volunteer media activist group that was initially founded to share videos about the 2011 Egyptian revolution. The film features a reading of Mahmoud Ezzat’s poem “Salat al khuf” (“The Prayer of Fear”). Ezzat’s words were inspired by the deaths of hundreds of peaceful protesters at the Rabaa massacre in 2013. Mosireen’s film reveals the severity of devastation experienced during the tragedy—an experience the group described as “truly paralyzing. The worst massacre in modern history […] committed in broad daylight, in Cairo, live on television.” 

At those terrifying frontiers where the existence and disappearance of people fade into each other is a multimedia piece created by film-makers Basel Abbas & Ruanne Abou-Rahme. Inspired by Edward Said’s After the Last Sky, the pair reconstructed Said’s words into a new script—the reworked text reflects on the conflict caused by the complexity of socially constructed nationality and citizenship in Gaza. The artists use moving pictures, written text, and music to convey imagery of the “March of Return” in the Gaza strip. 

Mohammad Shawky Hassan, a video artist and filmmaker who works in both Berlin and Cairo, created And on a Different Note, a production that combines video footage from New York and Cairo. This motion picture reveals human efforts of escapism, to find peace in the privacy of the home, despite the clamorous commotion of the outside world. As Hassan describes, “time and place stand on parallel lines, refuting the coordinates of existence.” And on a Different Note was selected by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to be displayed in 2016 as a component of a permanent collection.  

Notes on Seeing Double by Sanaz Sohrabi coalesces a photo of a crowd gathering to see Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Tehran in 1979 after years of exile with a picture of Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn’s painting The Anatomy Lessons of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp from 1632. Sobhari’s film flips through photographs of cut-out images that depict crowds of Khomeini’s supporters, which she holds in front of Rembrandt’s painting. In so doing, she shifts the viewer’s attention from Khomeini to a cadaver in the Amsterdam anatomical theatre, juxtaposition historical images with modern ones. Centred on the Persian expression “temsaal,” meaning to describe or to shape, the exhibit moulds the original photos of Khomeini’s return into an image of crowds welcoming the death of revolutionary ideals, or, perhaps the demise of this free state.

Making Revolutions continues until December 11, 2021, at the Montréal, Arts Interculturels (3680, rue Jeanne-Mance, suite 103 Montréal). Book in advance. Free admission.

Arts & Entertainment, Pop Rhetoric

Astroworld tragedy renews debate on the safety of mosh pits

by Louis Lussier-Piette on

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The Travis Scott Astroworld Festival tragedy, which left 10 concertgoers dead and hundreds injured, has renewed discussions on the question of violence at music events, leaving many wondering if such a tragedy would have occurred without the influence of mosh pit culture.  

Moshing involves pushing and slamming—or sometimes just vigorously dancing with—fellow concertgoers in a space near the stage called the “pit.” Emerging in the late 1980s from the American hardcore punk scene, moshing has since transcended music genres. May it be at a rock or a hip hop concert, a pit of people moving as a large sweaty mass can often be spotted against the stage. 

Criticism of moshing has been around for decades. Mosh pits are often considered hazardous, both to the concertgoers who can get injured and to the concert producers who can get sued for permitting them. In 2014, the punk-rock festival Warped Tour banned moshing from their events, with a banner that read, “You Mosh, You Crowd Surf, You Get Hurt, We Get Sued, No More Warped Tour.” After two concert deaths due to moshing—one in 1996 in Dublin and one in 2007 in Vancouver—Billy Corgan, the lead singer of American rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, outright banned moshing and any other violence at his shows. 

Many fans of moshing, however, disagree with the idea that the practice is too dangerous. For many, the experience of communally moving against a sway of fellow fans is a cathartic experience, where the adrenaline of a high-stress situation mixes with the oxytocin of close human contact.

“Mosh pits are some of the places I’ve felt the most alive,” said Montreal-born concertgoer Fanny Blanchet in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “There’s really nothing like being in a crowd of bodies moving together and against each other.”

In Montrealer Zacharie Masseau’s experience, there is a certain etiquette for mosh pit participants that prioritizes the safety of those both in and out of the pit. 

“With moshing, there are some kind of unwritten rules,” said Masseau in an interview with the Tribune. “Like if you see someone that doesn’t seem too down for it, you can help them out of the pit. And there are certain responsibilities too, that come with where you are in the pit. The people who stand in between the pit and the crowd have the moral obligation to make sure no one outside the pit gets hurt.”

For Masseau, both the audience and the performers must take on the responsibility of making sure the pit remains safe, as the audience are the ones physically creating the flow and dynamic of the pit, and the performers have the authority to step in if they notice something wrong in their audience. 

“Once, in a NOBRO concert in Montreal, someone fell down in the mosh pit and everyone stopped moving until the person was safe,” Masseau said. “The mosh pit went from raging to communal aid in a matter of seconds.”

While moshing culture can be risky for concertgoers, there are a host of other factors that can create unsafe concert environments, from a lack of safety measures and restrictions in concert venues to a lack of diligence from artists and producers. Performers who encourage violence in the audience from the security of their stage must understand the risk they are putting their fans in. At its core, the essence of moshing is not violence, but a sense of community and belonging.

Travis Scott has a history of encouraging rowdiness in his audience rather than pacifying it, and clearly failed to act in the best interest of those who attended his concert. Mosh pits, as a sort of extreme sport for concertgoers, are definitely not for everyone, and  fans must always understand the physical risks of moshing before joining the pit. But when done responsibly, they can be a truly joyful experience. Rather than leading to further bans on same moshing, the rapper’s fatal failure should act as a lesson for future performers. 

Horoscopes, Private, Student Life

Fated fortunes and falterings: Mid-term horoscopes

by Holly Wethey, Wendy Zhao on

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Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Aries

You will soon have a sighting of an iconic figure at McGill, such as Suzanne Fortier or Chris Buddle. Do not take this lightly: This is a sign. 

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Taurus

Beware of campus seagulls. The stars are revealing that they feel particularly aggressive this week. Their next target may just as well be you and your Redpath Cafe croissant.

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Gemini

Watch out, love is headed your way! With all your assets, you’re as hot as hot dog guy, and people are starting to take notice. But will you let this distract you from your assignments and exams? Your move, Gemini.

Cancer

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Something tells me you haven’t been studying as much as you should this semester. It may be time to reflect on your academic habits. If you get your work done instead of always putting it aside, you’ll be as free as Britney.

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Leo

We have a strong conviction that if you pay us each $50, you will ace all of your finals. Our venmo: Ya$$and$lay. 

Virgo

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Don’t go to office hours in-person this week. It may be tempting, but we can assure you that it will be most humiliating. (Hint: It involves spilling your Dispatch cappuccino all over your professor’s new Burberry jacket.)

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Libra

We know you have a lot of work looming over you right now, but as a wise guru once advised, “Don’t be sad, you’re so sexy.” Seriously! Look in the mirror, then walk forth into that exam room with your head held high.  

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Scorpio

Who says that love and academics can’t mix? For the rest of the month, stake out a McLennan crush. It’s the only thing that’ll keep you returning to our favourite brutalist dungeon. 

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Sagittarius

Dear Sagittarius, it’s time. The day has come to power through that bank of lectures you’ve been ignoring. To make the best of an unfortunate necessity, use the viewing experience as an opportunity to transcend your earthly limits: Play the recordings at 3x speed, turn off all the lights, set a few candles aflame, and become one with your professor’s voice. 

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Capricorn

This is your sign to express an unhinged thought in your conference. Shut that self-conscious inner voice up! Contrary to what its jabberings might caution, your ideas—that of a wide-eyed undergraduate—are pure brilliance. Maybe even use that intimate group setting to release some unresolved emotions. 

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

Aquarius 

Be bold, Aquarius. Try something new this week, and you may just realize that a fruitful but untravelled path was right underneath your nose this whole time. Follow it, and you may just find yourself at your local grocery store, buying a much-needed dose of fruits.

Pisces 

Winnie Lee / The McGill Tribune

A good cry never hurts a Pisces. Watch your favourite tear-jerker movie this week and indulge in a few solid bouts of sobbing. We’ve already drafted the accompanying email for you: Dear Professor, an unforeseeable and unavoidable tragedy has unfortunately arisen and which demands my time and attention.

Student Life

Demystifying professor office hours

by Sabrina Nelson on

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Attending office hours can be daunting, especially if you are a first-year student. Not knowing what to expect or what to ask, students are often intimidated by the idea of talking to a professor on their own. 

Olivier Bergeron-Boutin, a political Science course lecturer, remembers feeling intimidated by professors when he was a student at McGill.

“Professors seemed from another world,” Bergeron-Boutin said in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “They were so knowledgeable that they seemed unapproachable. I felt out of place.”

Despite their seemingly intimidating nature, office hours exist to allow students to meet with the professors and talk about any doubts or concerns that they may have regarding the course material, and are there for students to use to their advantage. Derek Nystrom, a professor in the English department, recognizes the fear of appearing unknowledgeable to a professor even in his daughter, who is in CEGEP. 

“She said that she was scared to talk to a professor about managing the material for fear of getting it wrong and feeling stupid,” Nystrom said. “I have encouraged her to attend office hours since it is a great way to get to know professors and for them to get to know you.” 

These weekly opportunities to meet with professors provide a space for students to develop and deepen their ideas. Athena Paramithiotis, U2 Arts, has made attending office hours a part of her routine. 

“My advice is to go to office hours as soon as you have questions about the class content. I find them to be really helpful,” Paramithiotis explained. “You can talk about the course content, clarify some things, or discuss it in greater depth. You can also ask for advice with an assignment or to go over your past tests and look over the mistakes.”

Most students might assume that office hours are limited to discussing material related to the course. Yet that is not the case. Conversations can range from exploring an idea mentioned during the lectures more deeply, to the professor’s research projects, to a half-formed thought e that may not make sense in your head. Both Professor Nystrom and Bergeron-Boutin said that some of the best conversations with students have been improvised.

Besides enabling students to better understand course material, attending office hours allows students to get to know professors on an individual basis. In classes with hundreds of people, it can be difficult to stand out—especially when many courses are still conducted online.  

“This ends up being important later if a student decides to ask for a letter of recommendation,” Nystrom said. “It is easier for a professor to remember you if you attended office hours than if you just sat with 200 other students in a class taking notes.”

Since students lead the conversation, it’s helpful to prepare topics of discussion or questions. For those who are still wary of entering into that one-on-one meeting, Nystrom advises students to send an email in advance describing the specific topic they wish to discuss. 

“[Emailing in advance] allows the professor to have an idea of what you will bring up and thus have the conversation flow,” Nystrom said.

At the end of the day, professors are just people who are there to help and guide you through your studies—they are not going to scrutinize your misconceptions and think less of you because you don’t remember the complexities of a political theory or haven’t mastered organic chemistry. No professor expects you to come into office hours with a solid knowledge of the material covered in lectures––that’s why there are office hours. The purpose of your time as an undergrad is to learn and to make mistakes. So leave your premonitions at home and walk into your professor’s office hours with your head held high.  

Student Life

Sick day survival guide

by Holly Wethey, Wendy Zhao on

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In the COVID-19 world, it’s easy to panic the moment you let out a single cough or feel a tickle in your throat. Hyperaware as we are of cold symptoms, we are quick to notice when we have the dreaded common cold. Unfortunately, getting sick can take a toll on academics and cause a great deal of stress––and McGill’s policy on medical notes certainly doesn’t help. That being said, there are things you can do that can lessen the anxiety associated with catching a cold. Here are seven tips from The McGill Tribune on how to make it through this flu season. 

  1. Get tested for COVID-19

If you’re experiencing fever, cough, tiredness, or a loss of taste or smell––all common COVID-19 symptoms––it’s best to get yourself checked at your nearest testing clinic. It’s smart to apply for short-term academic accommodations through Minerva because you’ll likely have to miss class in order to self-isolate. Try asking a friend in your classes for missed lecture notes or reaching out to the professor. 

  1. Tell your loved ones 

Having to take care of oneself can be difficult, especially for those new to living away from home. When your body is weakened and your throat strained, it can be an especially arduous task. Even if your loved ones won’t be able to heal your sickness, or are far from you, text messages or Facetime calls can remedy something arguably just as important—your mood. Added tip: It never hurts to ask your friends if they can leave some soup at your door. 

  1. Sleep, and don’t feel guilty about it

Unfortunately, the onset of flu season collides with the waves of midterms and finals. Though it may feel tempting to continue to be productive even when you’re sick, rest is always more important—and conducive to a faster recovery. Peel your eyes away from that essay or textbook, turn off your alarms, and hibernate under your heaviest blanket for as long as needed. You will feel more energized and productive when you eventually do sit down to work.

  1. Try a cold remedy

The supposed remedies for colds are many, ranging from Vitamin C to saline sprays. Although it can be tempting to try a bunch of at-home remedies, make sure that those you choose are based on scientific evidence. Proven methods include staying hydrated, gargling salt and water to assuage a sore throat, and taking acetaminophen if experiencing pain. That being said, a warm bowl of chicken soup, though not a scientifically proven remedy, is certainly soothing when you’re feeling under the weather.

  1. Cope with restlessness

If you’re feeling restless, try doing small, non-exerting tasks in your home. Move your body to the rhythms of a guided yoga video, organize your closet, or declutter your working space. Create a soothing environment. 

  1. Call your doctor if necessary 

If your cold symptoms last longer than two weeks, worsen, or you begin to experience high fever, intense chest pain, or shortness of breath, it is a good idea to contact your doctor or the Wellness Hub. This may seem like overkill, but it’s important to check in with a medical professional to make sure that you are not developing an infection. 

  1. Give yourself a break

It’s easy to succumb to the guilt associated with a lack of productivity, but if there is ever a time to be unproductive, it’s when you’re feeling sick. Take a break, catch up on some of your favourite series, or read a book you’ve been meaning to read. Though it might not feel that way, resting is one of the most productive things you can do for yourself when you’re sick.

Arts & Entertainment, Books, Music, Poetry

Looking back on Leonard Cohen’s legacy

by Thomas Croasdale on

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Nov. 7 marked the fifth year anniversary of the passing of Leonard Cohen, a beloved singer-songwriter, poet, novelist, Montrealer, and 1955 McGill alum. Known for the depth and profundity of his work, the prestiged artist will continue to be commemorated by Montrealers, McGill students and staff, and fans around the world.

For Leonard Cohen, the Montreal community was, and would always be, a home. He kept a house just off of St-Laurent Blvd, overlooking the numinous Parc du Portugal. He was frequently seen in his later years occupying a stool at the nearby Bagel Etc. 

Leonard Cohen was thrust into stardom in 1967 with a nervous yet enthralling performance of “Suzanne.” Later in life, powerful tracks such as “Last Year’s Man” and “Hallelujah” would forever establish his reputation as a creator whose works were thematically bold and potent. His deep, rich voice and dynamic lyricism touched the very recesses of listeners’ hearts.

But for some, it’s not the gravity of his voice or words but the grandeur of his guitar playing that satisfies the heart. He met a Spaniard at Murray Hill Park near his childhood home in Westmount, Montreal who taught him flamenco-style guitar, as well as the simple yet elegant six chord progression that fans came to expect in Cohen’s music. 

Blurring the line between poetry and song, Leonard Cohen ultimately became a cultural icon. Known as the “Godfather of Gloom” and “Pop’s Poet Laureate,” his distinctive character and artistic authenticity gave him a legacy that seemed sure to prevail. After his passing, with the inevitable emergence of critics contesting the longevity of his work, we are left to observe how his legacy continues. 

“The guy seems to resonate, and five years after his death I don’t really see it changing,” said Brian Trehearne, a professor in the Department of English, in an interview with The McGill Tribune. “Maybe there’s another cycle coming, in fact, a new generation is discovering it.” 

On the other hand, criticism has been directed at the endurance of some of Cohen’s work. Canadian author Anaka Schofield, for instance, writes that Cohen’s second novel Beautiful Losers “remains a failed, fossilized encounter.”

Despite this discourse, it seems that Leonard Cohen’s spirit trudges on more powerfully than ever. In Montreal alone, two murals depict his visage. The one on Crescent St., made by artists Gene Pendon and El Mac in 2017, is a towering 22 stories high and watches over Montreal in a gaze of enclosing warmth. The other, situated on the side of the Cooper building on St-Laurent Blvd by Kevin Ledo in 2018 is slightly more humble in size, yet just as artistically impressive. As Cohen expresses in his first novel The Favourite Game (1963), his soul is preserved in Montreal: “Some say that no one ever leaves Montreal, for that city, like Canada itself, is designed to preserve the past, a past that happened somewhere else.”

“I think the vast majority of his audience is exactly where they were ten years before he died,” Trehearne said. “They love his work, and they miss him.” 

And so his relevance persists. With the COVID-19 pandemic slowly easing as vaccines are rolled out and restrictions lifted, we may find comfort in a particular verse from “Sisters of Mercy,” which Cohen wrote in a single inspired sitting: “If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn / They will blind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem.” 

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